Hunted
by Shadowfax220
Summary: Ever wonder what John Winchester was doing while his boys were looking for him? Between the demons and his sons's John has been a very busy man. John's side of Season one.
1. The Beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Winchester men, nor do I own Supernatural. I just dabble in the arts with the men.

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter One:**

John Winchester was tired. In fact, he was more than tired, he was bone weary exhausted and it was his own damn fault. Hiding from his sons was a lot more difficult then he thought it would be. They had nearly found him four times in the past month alone. He had taught his boys all he knew about hunting and they learned well, especially his oldest son Dean. He was so damn proud of them.

His youngest boy Sam would have been even better then his brother if he had just put a bit of effort into it, but back then he was not really interested in hunting. It wasn't his fault he was only six months old when his mother died. He didn't have the memory of that night to spur him into the business like John and Dean. But, now he had his own reason for hunting and John wished he could have spared his young son that pain. He had tried, but he didn't know who the demon was targeting until it was too late.

Dean had only been four when his mother died, but it had had a profound affect on him. John suspected that his oldest son had always believed it was his fault that she had perished. The worst part about that was that is was his fault Dean felt that way. He still remembered it, he would always remember it. That day Dean wanted to go to work with is father and John had told him, "You take care of little Sammy and your Mom, that's your job sport!" That day John had made his first big mistake with his son, and it had started so innocently. How could John have known the child would take it so seriously, he was only four?

John had tried to tell Dean it wasn't his fault his mother died, but even at that age Dean had taken his responsibilities earnestly and nothing he said mollified the child.

For months after Mary died Dean didn't speak a word to anyone. Then he made his second biggest mistake with his oldest son, because he was worried about him. He had tried everything to get him to talk until finally he was so frustrated at his own inadequacies as a father that he sat Dean on his lap and told him, "You mother would want you to be brave son." Dean had sat on his lap and thought about what his father had said and then he replied, "Yes sir, she would." John had nearly burst into tears when he heard his son speaking to him. It wasn't until several years latter that he realized his mistake.

The loss of his mother had also instilled in the boy a very deep sense of family. He had always helped Mary take care of Sammy and when she was gone he tried to take over the task, in fact he had done his best, at four years old to take care of his grieving father as well. John thought it was helping Dean to be so involved in the care of his brother. But that was another mistake on his part. John had made so many mistakes with his boys.

Dean, at age four had learned to take care of his family. He also learned at the same tender age that the loss of someone in his family was something he never wanted to go through again and John knew that was the reason _he_ was so tired. He son was like a pit bull when it came to taking care of his family and as far as he was concerned if his father was missing, then he needed to be found and taken care of.

John could sympathize with the boy, but he could not allow himself to be found by his sons. He was finally closing in on the demon that had killed Mary. Unfortunately the demon was aware of the hunt and it had its own allies trying to stop him. They had caught him once and it was pure luck that Dean had been down in New Orleans on a solo job and Sam had been at Stanford.

The demons had told him, in great detail, what they intended to do to his children. When he escaped he had decided he couldn't allow that to happen. He was marked now by the demons and if he stayed to long in any one place they would find him. Anytime he was with his children they would be in mortal danger and he could not, would not, allow them to be caught in the middle of this war. After watching Mary die in such a horrible way he knew he could not watch it take his children too.

And so John had been running and hiding from both his children and the demons that were after him. And by far it was more difficult to hide from his sons.

**A/N Please read and review.**


	2. Setting things in motion

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Winchester men, nor do I own Supernatural. I just dabble in the arts with the men.

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Two:**

He had started running several months ago back in Jericho, as soon as he escaped the demon that had managed to surprise him and capture him. The damn thing wasn't very powerful and it hadn't taken much to turn the tables on it. In fact it was almost a good thing that it had succeeded in temporarily capturing him, because now he was forewarned of the master demons' plans to destroy his family.

He had set things in motion back it that small town to ensure that Dean and Sam were as safe from the demon as he could make them. John had known that Dean would not just let him leave. His oldest son was very good at following orders, but that was one order he would not be willing to obey. So John had done the only thing he could think of to ensure the safety of both his boys. He hated running from them and he hated lying to them, but it would keep them as safe as possible.

He had to make sure that both his boys did not stay in one place to long. That meant he had to find a way to get Sammy away from Stanford. At least until the demon was destroyed. He knew his youngest son was the happiest he'd ever been right now. John even knew about Jessica and he suspected that his young son had planned on asking the girl to marry him. But, as much as he hated the idea of pulling him away from that happiness, it was the only way to save his son's life.

He knew that if Dean thought his father was in peril he would seek the aid of his brother to rectify the situation. Together those boys were a very formidable team and both John and Dean knew it. John could count on Dean to bring his brother back into the fold if the stakes were high enough. Knowing that, John had made sure Dean thought the situation warranted the assistance of his brother.

He prepared his motel room so that the boys would suspect what was after him. He salted the doors and windows, left his notes on both the woman in white and the research he'd done on the demon that had caught him. Then he did the one thing he knew would ensure they realized something was wrong. He left his journal, but before doing so he left the coordinates in the book for another job he had been planning. He knew they would need the journal more then he would and the coordinates would get them out of the area as soon as possible.

When he was done with his preparations he left the motel. He stopped on the bridge overlooking the river where Constance had died, called his son and left a message. "Dean, something big is starting to happen. I think it's serious. I need to try and find out what is going on. We may all be in the middle of it. Be very careful Dean, we're all in danger," he said. Flipping his phone closed he drove off the bridge and out of the town of Jericho and for the first time since he begun hunting he intentionally left a job unfinished.

He knew that his son's would finish the job, but it still galled him to leave something evil stalking the town when he could have quickly and easily ended it. His decision could very well cost someone their life.

**A/N I know it was a short chapter I'll try to make the next one longer. Please read and review**


	3. Arizona

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Winchester men, nor do I own Supernatural. I just dabble in the arts with the men.

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter three:**

Two days after his fight with Sam when John had told him, "If you go, you can just stay gone." Two days after Sam had walked out and left, John had driven down to Stanford and made a few contacts at the school. One of them was with the security company that patrolled the grounds, another was a grounds keeper and the third was a professor of ancient histories. All of them were willing to help keep him up to date with what was happening with his estranged son.

In this way John knew many things about his young sons' life at Stanford. He knew about the problems Sam had trying to fit in with the other students when he first arrived. He knew the excellent grades his son received. He knew when Sam started seeing Jessica. When he was told that Sam had been shopping for wedding rings John had made the trip to Stanford just to see the girl. He watched his son and the girl who reminded him of Mary from across the floor of the night club they frequented. John knew Sam was happy and he wished he could tell his son he was proud of him and happy for him, but he couldn't.

John was at a motel in Arizona early Monday morning when he received the first phone call from Stanford. By the time the third call came in he was on his knees sobbing for the heartache and despair that his young son was now faced with. He wanted so badly to call and tell him how sorry he was, but he had already put his children in too much danger. He had to be strong and protect them the only way he knew how. With his continued absence, but dear God in heaven he wanted nothing more then to take his son into his arms and hug him. He really had missed the boy.

Much later, when he was able get his emotions back under control he made the necessary phone calls to find out exactly what had happened to his son. That was when he realized he had made the correct decision in abandoning his children. Because the only reason Sam was still alive was the way he had manipulated them into searching for him. Had he not done so, then Dean would not have been there to pull Sam out of the fire and they would have lost him the same way they lost his mother.

Armed with the firm belief that he was doing the right thing John was able to continue the search for the demon that had killed his wife and his future daughter-in-law. And now the war had truly begun. Blood had been spilled on both sides and John was determined to take down this bad ass son of bitch if it was the last thing he ever did.

He was currently in a small town in Arizona where he suspected the demon had killed a family just a little over a month ago. What had attracted his interest was the fact that the infant that had died had been exactly six months old on the night of the fire, the same as Sammy. The child's mother had died in the nursery with the child, though under unusual circumstances, the same as Mary. It didn't take him long to find out that she had been pinned to the ceiling by an unknown force prior to her death. The locals were a bit shaken up by what had occurred, especially after the cattle mutilations the week before.

John spent two days in that tiny little town looking into the history of the family. Other than the age of the infant and the way the mother died he found no similarities between them and his family.

He went to the ranch where the cattle had been mutilated and spoke with the owner of the cattle. The owner was glad to talk to someone who didn't think he was crazy. He took John to the field where the event had taken place. He showed him the spot were each of the cattle had their hearts ripped out of their chests. There were no signs that any of them struggled in the least, it was as though they all simply stood still and allowed someone to reach in with a clawed hand and pull out the life giving organ.

The man provided John with a few photos he had taken. John noticed something the owner had not yet realized. There was no blood on or near any of the six cattle that had died. John asked if it had rained that day, perhaps rain had washed away the blood. But the owner assured him it did not rain. In fact there was a storm, an electrical storm, but only thunder and lighting. No rain. John asked the rancher if that had he'd ever happened in the area before. The man assured him it had not.

John went to the local library and used one of their computers. He searched cattle mutilations in the Lawrence area and found that indeed there had been the same such attack on cattle at a ranch in the area. John packed his bags into his truck and headed for his hometown in Kansas. He had some questions that needed to be answered.

**A/N Please read and review.**


	4. Attack!

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Winchester men, nor do I own Supernatural. I just dabble in the arts with the men._

A/N Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. I am glad you are enjoying the story!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter four:**

John didn't make it to Lawrence. The attack came before he made it out of Texas. He must really be a on to something because this time it sent three demons to take him out. Apparently it decided that since one had failed the last time this time he would send more. He made it as far as Red Bluff Texas before they found him, in fact they must have suspected where he was heading because they were waiting for him at a the first filling station after a hundred mile stretch of hot dusty highway.

John filled up the tank on his truck, checked the oil and transmission fluid then went inside to pay for the gas and find something to drink. Everything seemed normal enough when he entered but his gut told him something wasn't right and you don't survive in this business for over twenty years without learning to listen to your gut. As discreetly as possible John took stock of the situation. The clerk, a tall lanky kid in his early twenties, was behind the counter standing at the register. There were two other customers in the store as well. One of them was hanging around the hall that led to the back rooms. He was about John's size and height. The other a big burly guy was standing at the newspaper rack close to the front door.

All of John's years of training and experience were screaming at him that he had just unwittingly walked into a trap. With no indication that he suspected what was about to happen he walked over to the coolers at the back of the store and grabbed a large bottle of beer. He was armed in fact he had two guns, one strapped to his right ankle and another at his waist. He also carried four knifes in various places on his person. The problem was if he was correct these people were all human's possessed by demons. He would only kill them as a last resort. He decided to test his theory.

"Sure is hot out there today," he said to the one closest to him." The man only nodded and glanced at the thug standing by the front doors who nodded at him. John continued speaking as though he hadn't seen the signal, "Any of you guys know who Cresto is." The man's eyes went from normal light brown eyes to solid black eyes. "I guess not," John muttered and without warning struck the man in the head with the beer bottle sending him careening head first into the shelves on the opposite side of the isle.

Seeing movement in the reflection of the door of the coolers John ducked and spun around. He sensed rather then felt the fist that sailed over his head as he sunk below the burly mans hook punch. Rising up from his crouch he struck the man on the chin with an uppercut that had the full force of his body and momentum behind it. Dean would have been so proud of him for that shot. It knocked the man out cold and laid him flat on the floor.

However, before John could do anything else the first man he took down grabbed him from behind in a bear hug. Not wanting the man to get away from him once he took action against him John grabbed the man by his wrists that were across his chest. Then with as much force as he cold muster using his right foot he stomped his Justin ropers down the mans shin to the top of his foot. He felt more then heard the bones break and as the man loosened his grip John let go with his left hand and twisted so that he was standing on the mans right side. A quick side kick to the knee put the man on the ground and a follow up with his elbow to the back of his neck put him down for the count.

John didn't get time to congratulate himself though because something very hard hit him in the side of his head and sent him sprawling into the cooler door. The glass door shattered under the impact of his body and as he slid to the floor trying to shake the cobwebs from his head cans and bottles crashed down on top of him.

"You ain't so tough!" the clerk said looking down on him and waving the baseball bat he'd used to smack John in the head. John grabbed an unbroken beer bottle and threw it with as much force as he could muster he threw it at the clerks face. Trying to avoid the well thrown bottle the man took two quick steps back and tripped over his fallen partner. His head impacted the side of the shelving unit next to him with sickening force and the young man fell into unconsciousness.

Slowly John got to his feet. He walked to the front door turned the lock and put up the closed sign. Then with duct tape confiscated from the stores shelves he tied up all three men and pulled them into the back room. Only when he was done did he take the time to wipe the blood and beer from his face.

That's when John's cell phone started to ring. He pulled it out and looked at it. The darn thing had taken a beating in the fight. It was damaged, but the display was still working. It was Sammy. John didn't even have to think about whether or not he should answer it because before he could the darn thing sent a slight shock into his hand and went dead.

John spent the next thirty minutes performing a group exorcism that he didn't even know was possible. He had meant to do three but as the ritual progressed he realized it was having an effect on all three of the men. The ritual complete he untied the men, apologized for their injuries and left without another word.

**A/N Please read and review.**


	5. Found

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Winchester men, nor do I own Supernatural. I just dabble in the arts with the men.

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter five**

John was hurt but not too bad. He drove north for a little over an hour before stopping at some dirt bag motel in Malaga New Mexico. The room had all the requirements bed, shower and phone and that was all he needed. He grabbed two duffle bags from the back of the truck one, the small one, contained clothes and a first aid kit. The other was weapons and other things he might need to defend himself. From now on, he didn't go anywhere unprepared.

Only after he salted the window and door did he feel comfortable enough to take a much needed shower. He was glad to find the water pressure was more then adequate to help relieve some of the tension that had built in his neck and back. However, when the spray struck the side of his head he was quickly reminded that he needed to check how bad the damage was.

He was very lucky, that much he knew for sure. Three demons, even lesser demons as they had been, were nothing to laugh about. The damn thing that killed Mary was serious in its attempts to get him. One thing he was sure about now though was that it seemed to want him alive, not dead. Those three could have easily killed him. He spent a good twenty minutes outside working on his truck before he even entered the store. That would have been plenty of time set up an ambush that would have seen the end of John Winchester. Instead they opted for a confrontation where they could have taken him alive. John wasn't scared of much but being taken alive by that demon would scare the hell out of him.

The hot water and pressure from the shower had caused his head to start bleeding again. It took three butterfly tapes to close the wound and he had a horrid looking bruise from his sideburn to his left eye. He didn't think anything was broken, but it had been a close call. His back had several scrapes and cuts crisscrossing it and some bruising along his shoulders but nothing that needed any special attention. Normally Dean would have done the patch work on him and it just reminded him how much he missed his boys.

When Sammy had left for Stanford it had taken a long time for him to get over loosing his young son. Sure they had fought all the time, but that didn't mean he didn't love his son. What it meant was that they were both stubborn and hard headed. It meant that John was so set in his ways he was clueless how to change. He knew that some how he had forgotten that he was their father, not their drill sergeant and that was another mistake he made with his boys.

Now with Dean gone too, he was left alone and he did not expect it to hurt so much. How he was supposed to deal with the loneliness was beyond him. But he was a marine and he would do what he had to do to keep his family safe. No matter what the cost was to him and if it that meant he was lonely then so be it. He probably deserved it anyway.

John slept for about four hours. When he woke he went to a local diner for something to eat, then to the nearest bar for a few drinks and a chance to earn some cash shooting pool. When he arrived back at the motel several hours later and several hundred dollars richer the message light was flashing on the room's phone.

"What the hell?" he said to himself knowing full well that nobody should know he was here therefore he shouldn't have any messages. He called the front desk and asked the clerk for his message.

"Oh, yes Mr. Framian a 'Dean' has called four times looking for you. He would like you to call him back. I told him I would give you the message as soon as possible."

John could have smacked himself for making such a foolish mistake. He should have known Dean could track him with the credit card he knew his father had. "Thank you," he told the clerk and hung up the phone. As quickly as possible he packed his bags. Even so, before he walked out the door the phone was ringing again. He looked at the phone longingly for a few seconds before shaking his head and saying, "Sorry son, but it's just too dangerous." Then without a backward glance he got in the truck and drove away.

**A/N Please read and review.**


	6. Shapeshifter

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Winchester men, nor do I own Supernatural. I just dabble in the arts with the men.

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter six**

Damn those boys of his were tenacious. In the past two weeks he had just barely gotten away twice before they found him. One of those times it was just plain luck that he had seen and recognized Sammy before they had seen him. After he had checked out of the motel he'd been staying in he had gone to the store across the street for supplies before leaving town. When he was coming out of the store he spotted Sammy entering the room he'd left not even an hour ago.

It was like getting sucker punched in the gut. His breath left him and he stood for a second rooted to the spot staring at his son. Sam must have sensed someone watching him because he paused and looked around before entering. He was able to take cover just in time before Sammy spotted him. He was so glad to see his boys John watched from the store as they worked the room until they came out.

They looked good except that Sam looked tired. John understood that. When Mary had died it took almost a year for him to be able to get a good night of sleep again. And that only happened when both the boys were sleeping in the same bed as he was. When they were in separate beds he woke up often just to make sure they were okay.

He grinned, either he was getting rusty or his boys were getting much better at tracking. If they ever quit hunting they could always go into the bounty hunting business. He knew the way they worked, he'd trained them. When they were done they would head to the diner to talk to the locals and see if anyone had seen him. It was time for him to go. He'd already spent too much time watching them.

He was headed for New Jersey where, if he was correct, the demon had killed a family just a few weeks before killing Sammy's girlfriend Jessica in Palo Alto. There were cattle deaths before the fire and a child that was exactly six months old had died with the rest of the family.

He had never made it Lawrence after the demons had attacked him. Instead he had done all his research at a library in Kansas City. He really needed to get a laptop computer like Sam had. It would make research easier. The problem was he really had no idea exactly what he needed in a computer. That was Sammy's area of expertise hell, Dean would probably know more about it they he did.

The long and short of it was there were cattle mutilations in Lawrence a week before Mary died and though he didn't remember it there was also a freak electrical storm with no rain. A pattern to the attacks was starting to emerge. The only thing that didn't fit the pattern was Jessica's death. Only because there was no child involved. John didn't know what that meant, but he was sure it was somehow significant.

He had managed, so far, to stay under the radar of the demon either that or it had given up on trying to find him. Though, he seriously doubted that. John had been making it a habit to salt all the windows the doors at any place he stayed for more then a few hours. He was not taking any chances he didn't have to take.

He drove for nearly twelve hours straight, stopping only for food, gas and restroom breaks. When he finally couldn't drive anymore he stopped at the first motel he spotted and got a room. After preparing the room he lay down on the bed fully clothed and was sound asleep within minutes.

He dreamed of his boys that night. It started out as a pleasant dream. He was back together with both of them. They were a family again smiling and sharing stories of what they'd been doing. Then suddenly without warning they were all picked up and thrown against the walls and pinned unable to move. The demon materialized before John and laughed at him. Then he watched in horror as first Dean then Sam were pulled to ceiling and lay there side by side unable to move or even speak. Abruptly blood appeared on their stomachs and began dripping from them. Their eyes were wide silently beseeching their father to help them but he couldn't move. And suddenly just like with Mary, flames burst around themconsuming them while they still lived and he watched.

John woke screaming and it took a few seconds for it to sink in that it was only a dream. He looked at the clock on the nightstand next to the bed. Three am, he'd been asleep only about four hours. He got up showered and left knowing that he would not get anymore sleep tonight and so he might as well do something productive with his time.

Around eight am he stopped for breakfast in a small town in Pennsylvania just outside the Jersey border. The diner he stopped at was pretty busy and there was a steady buzz of talk going on. John caught snippets of conversation most of it seemed to be about three high school kids that had died the day before.

"What's all the commotion about?" John asked the waitress that came to take his order.

"Oh," she replied, "Three kids from the local high school were killed last night. They were mauled by an animal of some kind. They were torn up pretty badly."

"What kind of animal?"

"I don't know and if the sheriff does he's not saying, but I heard it might have been a bear. One of them had a gun and he'd shot all the bullets. I knew Tony, he was a crack shot. If he pulled the trigger on something he didn't miss."

"Where did this happen?" John asked her.

"They were up in the woods behind the school. If I know those boys they were on their way to check out that old shack out there. It's supposed to haunted, but it's not. I've been there four times myself and I've never seen anything."

"Something like this ever happen out there before?"

"No I don't think so, but whatever it was that killed them boys, the sheriff will find it. He left this morning at first light with three of old man Sanders' best hound dogs. Them dogs don't ever loose a trail once they find it."

"Well, I hope they catch it!" John told her.

"They will you just wait and see. The sheriff will be in here before long telling everyone they got it and to go on back home."

John sat at the diner eating breakfast then reviewing several newspapers he'd picked up. He was circling articles that attracted his attention for closer review later when the sheriff walked in with a pair of deputies and an old man.

"Look Sheriff," the man old man said as they sat at the table next to him, "I'm sorry, this has never happened before. It was like those dogs were confused. I know they had the right scent, but then they lost it. Hell, you were there. There was no reason they should have lost it either. They were right in the middle of that field."

"I know it's not your dogs fault Sanders. It wasn't just the scent that disappeared. So did the tracks and all the sign I could read."

"I just don't understand it," the old man said.

"Neither do I, but I called in a friend of mine. He's a better tracker then anyone I know. If anyone can find the damn thing it'll be him."

"When's he coming?"

He should be here in the morning."

John decided to take a room in town for the night. He had a feeling he knew what kind of creature they were hunting and if he was right they would never be able to find it and it would continue to kill anyone who got close to it. He would go out later that evening, when all the commotion in the area had died down and see what he could find.

This time, when he slept he didn't dream and tired as he was he slept for nearly ten hours. When he woke up he went through his weapons bag pulling out three hand guns and a cross bow. He cleaned and loaded all three handguns with silver bullets. Then made sure all the bolts for the crossbow were tipped with silver plated heads.

Dusk was just setting in when he checked his compass and headed into the woods. It would be dark soon, just they way he liked it when he hunted a skinwalker or werewolf. Finding the attack sight was relatively easy. The sheriff and his crew had left such a trail Sammy could have followed it when he was seven and just learning how to track, even while he argued with his father about the necessity of learning it.

From the original attack sight he saw where the dogs had tracked the creature to the field the sheriff was talking about and his suspicions were confirmed when he picked up the trail of the creature after it changed to its human form.

The thing had circled around and come back to the old shack. He hated hunting these things inside buildings. There were too many places they could hide and surprise you from, but he knew he had to go inside and check it out. Carefully opening the door he entered as silently as possible. It would be a mute point if the creature was in its animal form, because it would smell him long before he could find it. But if it was still in human form he might be able to surprise it.

Unfortunately the shack was empty. It only had two rooms and the creature was nowhere to be found. John decided to go back outside and circle around the building to try and pick up any tracks it may have left on its way out.

As it turned out he didn't need to look for the damn thing. As soon as he opened the cabin door to exit it leapt at him hitting him square in the chest and knocking the gun out of his hand. John landed hard on his back, but flipped the creature off him as he did. Winded by the fall it took him a second to roll over and come to his knees. He pulled out another gun and before the creature could attack again he shot it in the heart.

It dropped to the ground dead and changed back to its human form. John picked up the weapon he'd dropped put it in his pocket and left. He wasn't that far from Newton New Jersey were the demon had killed the family if he hurried, or shagged ass, as Dean would say. He could be there in just a few hours.

**A/N Please read and review.**


	7. Lake Manitoc

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Winchester men, nor do I own Supernatural. I just dabble in the arts with the men.

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Seven**

Nothing. That's what he was able to find here in Newton absolutely nothing. He'd been here nearly a four days and hadn't come up with anything new. He needed more information on this demon if he was going to be able to stop it. He needed help. He needed to go see Bobby. Hopefully the man was over the last argument they'd had and wouldn't try to shot him again. He packed up the truck and headed for South Dakota deciding not to call and let him know he was coming. If he called Bobby first the man would have time to remember their argument and get worked up all over again. Better to just show up and hope for the best.

He might even be able to take a break from running for a week or two. He doubted very much that his boys would even consider he'd go to Bobby's place. He could still picture Dean's face when Bobby cocked the shotgun on their last visit. John knew Bobby would never pull the trigger, but his son didn't. Dean's eyes were wide in shock, but he was reaching for his own gun to protect his father.

It was about sixteen hundred miles away, but John wasn't in a hurry besides, he wanted to stop off in Wisconsin and check into something that had caught his attention. Almost a week ago an eighteen year old girl disappeared in Lake Manitoc. She was the third person to disappear in the lake this year. Six other people went missing in the past thirty years. None of the bodies had been recovered even though they had dragged the lake. It definitely warranted an investigation and he was at a temporary stand still with the demon.

The drive to Lake Manitoc was uneventful. He checked into the Lake Front Motel then drove out to the lake to take a look around. He spent several hours checking the shoreline around the lake for signs of anything unusual or tracks that didn't belong. He didn't find anything so he went back to town and found a busy diner and sat down to eat.

The only talk he heard was about the draining of the lake. Apparently the dam was in poor shape and was not going to be repaired. Most people were worried it would destroy not only the lake, but the town as well. They were probably right the lake seemed to be the biggest draw for this quiet little town. He left the truck in the parking lot of the diner and walked to the local library.

After several hours of research he discovered something important. Two people's names were listed on the survivors list for all the people who were reported missing. Granted, they were young when some of the deaths occurred, but it had to mean something. The biggest problem was that one of the two people was the sheriff. That was going to seriously complicate matters. The other man was the father of the girl who disappeared most recently.

If John had to hazard a guess he'd say something had happened when they were young, before the first disappearance. What was taking these people was fixating on the families of these two men. Now all John had to do was find out what it was. Once he did that finding out how to stop it would be relatively easy. He decided his next step was to talk to the sheriff.

This being a small town the sheriff's office was only three blocks from the library and the diner so John walked over to speak with the man. When he arrived he was surprised to see his son's Impala in the parking. Instead of entering, he walked across the street and went into a hardware store and discreetly watched for his sons to leave the sheriff's office.

It only took about ten minutes before they did. When they did leave they weren't alone. Dean was obviously turning on the charm for a very pretty petite brunette. He smiled thinking about the last time they were together. Dean had completely shocked his father when he offered to set him up with the mother of a young lady he'd met a bar. John had been so stunned that he had no notion how to answer his son and sat there with his mug of beer half way to his mouth which must have hung down almost to the table. Dean took one look at his fathers face, stammered an apology and left the table. Neither one of them had ever mentioned the incident so John knew his son thought he had been upset over it, but truthfully he hadn't. It had just shocked him that his son thought it was okay if he spent time with another woman.

Mary was gone now well over twenty years, in that time John had on occasion spent time with a lady. But he had never done so when the boys were around. Sometimes, though, a man just needed the company of a woman. Mary would have understood. He just wasn't sure the boys would. The first time it happened was almost ten years after she had died. John had drank much more then was good for him and the woman had been coming on to him all night long.

They had gone to her place but in the end John could not give her what she wanted. Instead they lay down on her bed and she held him while he did something he would never have thought possible. He spoke to her of his wife and her loss and the hardships he'd encountered trying to raise their children. And he cried. She was an angel and John didn't even know her name.

When Dean, Sam, and the young lady vanished around the corner John left the hardware store and followed as stealthily as possible. He watched as the brunette showed them the Lakefront Motel spoke to them for a moment and left. When they went inside John went back to his truck to move it, knowing that the next place his sons were likely to go was the diner.

After hiding his truck in a parking garage where his sons were not likely to spot it he went back and watched the Motel until they left. Instead of going to the diner, though they walked down the street a few blocks and turned the corner. After they were out of sight he went into his room, grabbed his things and left the area.

He wanted to stay and see how his boys handled the job, but prudence dictated that he leave as soon as possible. The town was too small to hide from them for very long.

**A/N Please read and review**


	8. The New Millennium

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Winchester men, nor do I own Supernatural. I just dabble in the arts with the men.

_I want to thank all of you are reviewing this story. It really helps me keep writing to know some of you are enjoying it!  
__I appreciate all the wonderul review's I've been getting. Thanks bunches!_

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Eight**

Bobby was standing outside talking to someone when John pulled into his salvage yard. He glanced at John his eyes widening in surprise. John got out of the truck nodded his head in greeting and leaned casually on the front of his truck waiting for Bobby to finish.

After the other person left Bobby turned to John with a smile and said, "We've been getting pretty worried about you John."

That was certainly not the reception he'd been expecting. "Why?" he asked surprised.

"Your boys called, said you were missing. No one could get you on your phone either."

"Sorry, it took a beating a few weeks ago and I haven't replaced it yet. Who's we?"

"Caleb, Bradford, Joshua, hell, everyone, those boys have called us all once a week to ask if we'd heard from you. Pastor Jim and I were going to start searching ourselves if you didn't turn up soon. Glad to see you're alright. What's going on?"

"I'm closing in on the thing that killed Mary. It's a demon, a bad one."

"Come on, let's go inside and you can fill me in." Bobby said.

Bobby cleared a stack of books from a chair and motioned John to sit. Looking around the room at the books stacked everywhere John grinned. Bobby's place never changed.

"You know your boys are worried sick about you." Bobby told him handing him a bottle of beer.

"I know, but I can't let them know where I am."

"Why not?"

"It's too dangerous. They already caught me once. I had to kill the poor guy the demon was possessing to get away."

"A demon caught you? You're slipping John."

"I did that day. But it turned out to be a good thing. The damn thing couldn't seem to shut up about what they in store for me and my boys. Evidently we've been interfering with their plans too much lately and they're getting upset."

"What plans?"

"I'm not sure, but I know it's something big." John said, "The demon that killed Mary is back. I think it's a master demon. It wants me and my boys."

"Why," Bobby asked.

"I don't know yet, I'm still working on that, but I had to get Sam away from Stanford, it wasn't safe anymore. I knew he wouldn't just leave so I had to figure out a way to make sure he did."

"That's why you disappeared."

"Yeah, I knew if I did Dean would go to his brother for help. If anyone could convince Sammy to leave it was Dean. But he wouldn't do it unless he felt it was necessary."

"It worked."

"Not as well as I'd hoped. I'm not sure why, but Dean took Sam back to Stanford just a few days after he left. The demon was waiting. It killed Sammy's girl friend just like it killed Mary. Dean was able to save his brother, but it was too late for Jessica."

John stopped for a minute unable to continue as he recalled the pain his son was going through. He wished he could take it all away for him. "I'm going to find this son of a bitch and destroy it. If it's the last thing I do," he told Bobby.

Bobby didn't answer he just nodded. He knew John would kill the thing or die trying.

"A week later I stopped for gas somewhere in Texas and I was attacked by three demons."

"Three," Bobby said. "I take it back John, you are not slipping. I've never heard of anyone being attacked by three demons at once and surviving."

"I was lucky," John told him, "I'm pretty sure they wanted me alive. They had plenty of opportunity to kill me, before I realized it was a trap."

"Alive," Bobby said. "John the only reason they'd want you alive is to use you for something."

"I know and I need to find out what. I need a lot more information though and since demons are your specialty I was hoping I could convince you to help with the research."

"Of course I will. Tell me what you know already and we'll see what else we can find."

John told him about the pattern he'd discovered, the cattle mutilations, storms, fires, and the age of the children, how the mothers died. He gave Bobby everything he had on the attacks.

When he was done Bobby said, "You know what we need to do is see if we can confirm any other attacks back in eighty three."

John nodded, "I know the pattern held true with the attack on my family. I did search back then and found one that I'm pretty sure was the demon, but I bet we can come up with more attacks now that we have more information."

"Yeah," Bobby replied. "You look like tire John. How about we call it a night and start in the morning? You can have the spare room for as long as you need it."

John grinned at him. "It's those boys of mine. I've had hell staying ahead of them. They've nearly found me four times already. Yesterday I was working a job up in Wisconsin and they showed up to work the same job. I had to leave in a hurry."

Bobby laughed, "You taught them well John."

"I can't stay more then a week. And even that may be to long," John said, "But I need time to give the truck a tune up and I need your help with something else too."

"What's that?"

"How much do you know about computers?"

Shocked Bobby asked, "You want a computer?"

"A laptop."

"Wow John," Bobby said. "When did you wake up and join the new millennium?"

"Shut up." John said good naturedly.

**A/N Please read and review!**


	9. The Boy

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Winchester men, nor do I own Supernatural. I just dabble in the arts with the men.

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Nine**

John slept soundly for the first time in almost a month. He was as safe as possible at Bobby's place because one thing his friend knew was how to protect against demons. The first night he slept for nearly thirteen hours. Each night thereafter he averaged a full eight hours of sleep.

When he wasn't sleeping he stayed very busy. In the past three days they found evidence of five additional attacks by the master demon back in eighty three. They also found possible attacks back in sixty one. Of those attacks two of the children survived. One they were unable to locate, but the other Max Miller was living in Saginaw Michigan with his father Jim. That would be John's next stop when he left Bobby's place later that week.

Together he and Bobby worked on John's truck replacing the worn belts, hoses and filters. They flushed the radiator, changed the oil, spark plugs and wires. When they were done the motor practically purred with the pleasure of the treatment it had received.

They found a laptop that would suit his needs and John learned how to use it to do the few things he needed to accomplish on it. He also replaced his broken cell phone with a newer model. He learned you could use a cell phone to send messages to other phones. Bobby taught him how to send text messages and how to block his number from showing up on other peoples phones.

Bobby also showed him how to change the voice message for his phone. He immediately changed the generic message. Now when anyone called his phone if he didn't answer it would say, "This is John Winchester I can't be reached. If this is an emergency call my son Dean. 866-907-3235. He can help."

Five days after John arrived at Bobby's he was ready to leave. He was in considerably better shape then when he arrived. Having gotten some much needed sleep in a safe haven and just being able to talk to someone about what had been happening did wonders for John's piece of mind. Shaking Bobby's hand John told him, "Thanks for everything."

"No problem, you just take care of yourself John," Bobby replied, "Those boys of yours still need you, we all do, so don't go getting yourself killed."

"You just remember your promise. They can't know I was here, not yet."

"I know, but I'm still not sure I agree with it. Those boys are a lot tougher then you think John. Don't sell them short. They could help you."

"No, I can't take the chance of loosing either of them. I think that's part of what this thing wants. It wants me to watch them die. I can't do that, I can't watch it kill them."

"Just don't push them too far John, if you do, you might loose them anyway."

"I know, but at least they'd be alive." John replied, "Listen Bobby, you and the others, can you check up on them from time to time. Just make sure they're okay."

"Don't worry between all of us we'll keep an eye on them for you."

Without looking back John got in his truck and headed for Michigan to speak with Jim Miller. Saginaw was only about eleven hundred miles away. John figured he could be there in about two days if he pushed it.

He made it as far as Sherburn Minnesota the first day and stopped at the only motel in the small town. He found a little mom and pop diner and grabbed a bite to eat. Then decided to look for a place to hustle a few games of pool and build his cash supply back up. However, the town had a population of just over a thousand people and it showed in the lack of viable options for the success of that plan.

The only place that even had a pool table was the American Legion Hall and he just didn't like the idea of hustling the patronsthere. It did have a bar though so John decided to stop by and enjoya few drinks and a couple of friendly games before turning in for the night.

He shot a few games with a kindly old man who spent the entiretime telling John about his five year old grandson's antics. He was racking the third game when a sheriff's deputy entered and looked around then strode purposefully to the back corner of the room shaking his head and cussing a blue streak under his breath.

"Uh, oh," the old man shooting pool with John said. "That's not good."

John looked at him and asked, "Why?"

"That's Billy Ray. If their looking for him they need a tracker and he doesn't look like he's in any shape to do it."

John watched the deputy as he spoke heatedly with the man in the corner then attempted to pull him to his feet. Billy Ray was definitely not in any condition to walk let alone track anything anywhere.

"Steve," the deputy said to the bartender, "Get Billy some coffee. I need him sober as fast as possible."

"Sure Dave," replied the bartender, "What's up?"

"Little Tommy Wilson's gone missing out at the lake and it's getting dark. We need to find him as soon as possible."

"Dave, he's been drinking since around noon. It's the anniversary of his wife's death so I just let him have at it today. I'm not sure how quick he's gonna sober up."

"Shit!"

"Excuse me officer," John said, "I might be able to help."

The officer looked at John giving him a once over and apparently decided that he liked what he saw he walked up to John and said, "You can track?"

"Yes, sir," he replied sticking out his hand, "I'm John Winchester and I'd like to help if I can."

"Well, you can't do any worse then Billy is right now, so I'll tell you what. I'll let you have a go at it while Steve tries to sober him up some."

"Yes sir." John said. "But I'm just passing through so I don't know the area. How about I ride with you to where he disappeared from and you can tell me what you know?"

"That works," the deputy said then turned to the bartender and told him, "You get him sober Steve we may still need him."

"Count on it," the bartender said.

John followed the deputy out to his car which turned out to be a Rodeo not a car. Once they were on the way to the lake John said, "Why don't you tell me what you know so far?"

The deputy nodded and said, "We got the call about two hours ago. Martha Wilson, the boy's mother, called. The family had been spent the day out at the lake and they were getting ready to pack things in when the noticed Tommy was missing."

"How old is the boy?" John asked.

"Six."

"When was the last time they saw him."

The deputy shook his head, "No one seems to recall. The Wilson's have eleven children. This is the second time this boy has gone missing this year. I swear the silly child has no sense of direction."

"Eleven?"

"Yeah, Martha had three sets of twins and a set of quadruplets. Tommy's twin died at birth or they'd have an even dozen. I don't know how they do it."

John laughed, "I have two, and they were enough of a handfull. I woke up one morning and my oldest boy Dean, was gone. He was twelve and I was frantic until I found him sitting on a bench down at the park with some girl he'd met the night before. Turns out she was going to run away and he was trying to talk her out of it. It scared the hell out of me though."

"I bet it did," the officer said. "Well, I have several other officers and a few volunteers out there right now. Hopefully by the time we get therethey'll have a general idea of what direction he went."

"How big an area are we talking about?"

"The lake park is about fifty square miles, but I'm sure the boy couldn't have gone very far."

"No," John told him, "the average foot speed for a six year old child is less then three miles an hour so if we can find out when he went missing it could narrow down the search area for you."

The deputy looked at John for a second surprise registering on his face. "You do know your stuff don't you?"

"I try. How certain are you that the boy just wandered off and wasn't taken?"

"Anything is possible at this point, but like I said he's gone missing like this before."

When they arrived at the lake John knew immediately which woman was the boys' mother. She sat at a table surrounded by small children ranging in age from toddlers to teens. She was speaking with a female deputy nodding her head and gesturing with her arms off to the left side of the park. John looked in that direction, then in the other direction.

"What do you know about the boy?" John asked as the deputy parked the car and started to get out, "Is he quiet, into books and coloring, or does he play outside a lot, maybe play cow boys and Indians or other adventure games?"

"That boy is a reckless wonder. He is forever driving his family crazy with his wild ideas and crazy schemes. I think he spends too much time alone, but in a way I understand. He's the odd one in the family."

After hearing that if he had to hazard a guess John would say the child went to the right, not the left, but it seemed that most of the searching was being done in the direction the woman was pointing. The terrain to the left was mostly flat and tame. It didn't seem to hold much adventure for a child, but the terrain to the right was hilly and had more trees.

"Why don't you go check in with your people, I'm just going to take a look around." John told him.

"You might need this," the deputy replied giving John his Maglight. "It's going to be getting dark soon."

"Thanks," John said taking the light and putting it in his jacket pocket.

John made into the woods to the right and made his way down to the lake, then followed the shoreline a few hundred yards further to the right. From there he turned away from the lake and began walking slowly away studying the ground as he moved. He saw where several people had crossed the area he was searching, but they were all adults, not children. He continued walking away from the lake and was rewarded when he found the faint tracks of a small child crossing his path.

He turned and followed the tracks. It wasn't much of a trail at first, a few blades of grass bent over, a twig or stone turned over, but it was enough for John to follow. Eventually the trail got easier to follow as the child obviously grew tired. A few miles from the car the child had started to drag his feet occasionally making John's job even easier.

Forty five minutes after he arrived at the lake park John found the boy at the bottom of a ravine he'd fallen into. The boy was unconscious but alive when John climbed down to him. There was dried blood on his forehead where he had struck it on a large stone at the bottom and his left forearm was broken. After carefully splinting the child's arm John wrapped him in his own jacket and hugging the child to his chest he carefully carried him back to where he had left the deputy.

John recalled carrying Dean the same way one time when he had been injured while learning to follow a compass and map. Dean though, had been conscious the entire trip back to the car and had not allowed one gasp of pain to escape his lips. At first John though his son was just trying to be tough, but later he discovered that it was anger that caused his son's silence. Dean was mad at his father for carrying him like a child and not letting him walk back to camp.

When John arrived at the staging area with little Tommy his mother broke into hysterics until John assured her that the boy was alive. It helped greatly that he chose that moment to stir and open his eyes.

After the child was taken away in an ambulance with the rest of his family following in their van the deputy gave John a ride back to his truck. "I know you've already heard this several times tonight, but thank you." He said to John. "I don't know if we'd have found him in time if you hadn't helped us out."

"I was glad to help." John said.

"Well, if there's ever anything I can do for you just give me a call."

With the windows and doors to his motel room salted John slept well again that night. He didn't want to stick around and answer anymore questions any of the townspeople might have so he was on the road again before first light.

**A/N I know this was a longer chapter then I've been posting and I'm sorry it took so long to get it up. This chapter I felt John needed to do something more normal then his usual hunts and this just kind of wrote itself. I hope you like it and I promise to put more encounters with the demon and his boys into future chapters.**


	10. The Millers

_Disclaimer: I do not own John or his boys, but it would be sooo much fun to just play with them for a while! _

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons_

**Chapter Ten**

Jim Miller was a mean son of bitch. The way he treated his son was completely despicable. No child deserved to be treated the way Max Miller was. John watched from his truck as the man yelled at the boy who had been cleaning the garage. John wasn't close enough to hear all the things he said, but the father punctuated each word by throwing something at the boy.

If John hadn't known that Max was nearly the same age as Sammy he would never have been able to tell from looking at him. He looked malnourished and drawn. Even from this distance he could see the boys eyes were sunken and red rimmed as though he spent a lot of time crying.He was obviously neglected and abused. This man, Jim Miller, seemed to go out of his way to hurt his own son. John just didn't understand people like that.

John knew he was far from the perfect father. Hell, he was probably a pretty poor excuse for a father himself. He had made plenty of mistakes, but he had never, ever struck his boys. There were plenty of things he should have done differently with them but had never intentionally hurt his children.

With one final tirade at his son which ended with him screaming "I wish you had never been born," Jim Miller got into his car and drove away. John put thetruck in gear and followed. He glanced at Max as he drove by the house. He was standing there in the garage with his head hung low arms at his sides, a picture of misery. Briefly John wondered why the boy didn't just leave. He was over twenty years old and should be in college somewhere away from his abusive father.

John followed Jim Miller to a bar not far down the road and waited to be sure he went inside. After he was confident Miller was not coming right back outhe left and drove over to the Miller's old home where Max's mother had died in the fire. No one was currently living in the home and a realtor's for sale sign decorated the lawn.

The neighbor across the street was outside working on his lawn when John drove up. He watched John as he got out and looked over the outside of the house. John noticed his scrutinyand decided to walk across the street and speak with the man.

"Hello," John said, "I was wondering if you could tell me about that house. I might be interested in buying it."

"Sure," he replied, "What do you want to know?"

"How long has it been empty?"

"This time about three months," the man replied.

"This time?"

"Yeah, since the Miller's left around twenty years ago no one has stayed very long. A couple of times the people living there just got up and left right in the middle of the night too."

"Why, is it haunted or something?" John asked with a chuckle.

The man laughed, "I don't think so, no one's ever died there that I know about."

"What about the Miller family. How long did they live there?" John asked.

"I'm not real sure they already lived there when I moved in twenty years ago."

"So you don't know if they had any problems when they were living in the house?"

The man sighed the said, "I don't think they had any problems with the house."

"You don't sound too convinced." John replied.

"It wasn't the house it was that family. I had to call the police on them eight, maybe nine times."

"Oh, noisy neighbors," John said nodding knowingly at the man.

"No, it was that kid, the Millers son."

"What was wrong with him?"

"His father was what was wrong. He used to beat that poor child senseless, even breaking bones a few times. In all my years I've never seen a kid treated like that."

"That's a shame."

"Yeah, the police wouldn't do anything about it either. I still think about that kid from time to time and I hope he's okay."

"I hope he is too," John said, "I appreciate you speaking with me about the house, but I have to go."

"You bet, hope I didn't turn you off buying it. I think you'd make a good neighbor."

"I'm just looking right now, but who knows." John replied as he left. He was seething inside as he got in the truck. Jim Miller needed a lesson and Johnwas readyto give it to him. He went back to the bar and went inside.

It was a small bar. The three coin operated pool tables were taking up most of the floor space. A long mahogany bar stood on one side of the room with bar stools spaced across the front. A few tables dotted the corners of the dimly lit smoke filled room. A juke box lit up the far corner and filled the bar with music Dean would have liked. He probably could even name the band and song playing now. It was something about someone being dazed and confused.

John grinned when he spotted Jim Miller at one of the tables shooting pool with another man. This was going to be more fun then he'd had in a very long time. He walked to the barand ordered a beer as watched as the Miller brothers finished up their game. Jim won the game and the other guy walked around and put the coins in to drop the balls. He racked them and nodded to Jim to go ahead and break.

John finished his beer ordered another and wandered over to the pool table. He placed his coins on the table and nodded at the men. Then he stood back and watched as they played their game and Jim won again. John smiled grabbed his quarters and began the game that would earn him some extra cash.

Two hours later John was over two hundred dollars richer and these two jackasses didn't even realize it. They continued to drink and play getting progressively worse with each drink. John however was still sober having only consumed three beers since he arrived. He had just intentionally lost a game allowing Jim to win. It was then that the opening he was looking for came, not from Jim, but from the other player, his brother, Roger.

"You better start playing better than that or your wife is going to have your hide for loosing all your money," he laughed drunkenly.

John's eyes glittered at the perfect opening as he racked the balls. He looked up at Roger with a sad face that didn't require any acting and his voice actually broke when he spoke, "My um… my wife died in a fire a long time ago." He was surprised at how difficult it was to actually say the words to a stranger.

Jim looked up at John and said, "Really?"

John just looked at the fool with blazing eyes because he couldn't say anything. He rubbed his beard with his hand. He didn't realize it would be this difficult to say what he needed to say.

"Hey," Jim said putting up both his hands, "I didn't mean anything by it. It's just, my first wife, she died in a fire too."

Taking a deep breath and releasing it heavily John nodded and said, "Sorry, I'm still a bit touchy on the subject."

"Yeah, I know how you feel. My Suzy, she died in my son's nursery. The Damn kid was six month old. If she hadn't gone in there then maybe she would still be alive."

"What about your son?" John asked.

"Thatkid is alive it's his fault I know it is. I was able to save the good for nothing brat, but I couldn't help his mother. I couldn't reach her." Jim was becoming more animated the more of the story he told. Anger was rolling off him in waves.

John's mind flashed back to the night Mary died as his eyes watered with unshed tears. He understood what the man was talking about, but he didn't understand how he could possibly blame the child. "How could a six month old child be to blame for a fire?" John asked.

"It was after him. It had to be. That's why it was in the nursery."

"What was after him?"

"I don't know, what ever it was that killed Suzy."

"I thought she died in a fire?"

"Yeah, but first it pinned her to the ceiling and cut up her stomach!" He practically shouted, "It wanted the boy. It should have taken him and left my Suzy."

John was finding it more and more difficult to speak, but he knew he had to finish this. "What was it? Did you see it?"

He looked at John, terror evident in his inebriated stare and replied, "No. I never saw it. But it was there. I could feel it."

The man hurt, John understood his pain and could sympathize, but he would never understand his obvious loathing for his son. How could he blame the child? John had come into the bar with the complete intention of beating the shit out of the man. But it wouldn't do any good. He was already broken. Instead he nodded at the man and told him, "It wasn't your son's fault. You should cherish him, not hate him, he's all you have left of your wife." It was something he truly believed and he followed that rule everyday of his life. He wished the man would take his advice, but one look at his face and he knew it wasn't going to happen.

In an instant the look on Jim's face contorted from fear to hatred and he lunged at John who easily sidestepped out of his path. The man went staggering past John and hit the wall behind him. Shaking his head and turning around he attacked again. John quickly moved again and the man when sailing into his brother who was knocked to the floor by the impact. By some miracle of fate Jim was able to keep his feet. He turned to John, his anger quickly turning to rage and approached more slowly ready to fight.

John was not a patient man at the best of times and this was not the best of times so he had exactly no patience left. Seeing that the man was not going to stop John took action to ensure that he did. Taking a step closer he let the man have it with a very solid right hook that took him square on the chin and laid him out cold on top of the pool table.

John looked at the man's brother. He was backing up and shaking his head as an indication that he didn't want any part of the fight. John left quietly before the bartender called the police.

He got in his truck and drove back to the house the where demon had attacked the family. It was late now and pretty dark outside. He drove around the block and parked. Stepping out of the truck he went to the weapons compartment at the back and pulled out the things he was going to need. A rosary blessed and dipped in holy water, four small bags prepared for just such an occasion and a small bottle of holy water.

Having no street lamps in the area made sneaking up and into the house easier. Just before he entered he gripped the rosary in his hands bent his head and recited a Latin prayer of protection. Then he slipped the rosary around his neck, picked the lock on the back door and entered the house.

He wasted no time especially knowing anything in the house would attack as soon as it realized what he planned to do. The home was empty removing many of the weapons poltergeists normally use to attack. He started at the north wall since it was the closest to him. He kicked a hole in the wall and dropped the first of the purifying bags into the hole. Moving to the east wall he gave it the same treatment.

Out of nowhere wind blew fiercely inside the house followed by a piercing screech that moved with the wind. John went quickly to the south wall and punched a hole in the wall the screeching grew louder as he pushed the bag into the hole. He turned to the west wall of the home but before he could reach it the drapes from the window were torn down and wrapped around his legs knocking him to the ground. The ceiling fan above him swirled at an alarming rate until the whole until fell from the ceiling and crashed down on him as he tried in vain to free his legs. He was picked up and slammed against the wall several times.

Blood dripped in his eyes making it difficult to see as he tried to keep from hitting the walls face first. He wiped away the blood reached for the knife hidden in his boot. He slashed the drapes wrapped around his legs and bolted for the wall. The knife was pulled from his hand by an unseen force just as he punched the wall. He pushed the final purifying bag into the wall and dropped to the floor shielding his eyes. The knife hit the wall where his head had been just seconds before and then a blinding flash of white light lit the house briefly silencing the wind and screeching permanently.

As an added precaution John went to each room of the house and performed a ritual blessing sprinkling holy water on each wall in the home. When he was done he left the house, climbed into his truck and drove away from the latest place that took his blood and sweat as payment for destroying another evil bastard.

**A/N Okay, here you go, another day another chapter. I hope you liked it. Please let me know by reviewing it! Besides reviews help me write because then I know ya'll are enjoying the story so please read and review.**

**Thanks again!**


	11. Missouri

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Winchester men, nor do I own Supernatural. I just dabble in the arts with the men.

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Eleven**

John drove south with no destination in mind. He didn't care where he went as long as it was as far away from Wisconsin as possible. This trip hit too close to home. He thought he'd been prepared for it, but he was wrong. He needed to see his boys he wanted to tell them how much they meant to him. He wanted to hold them in his arms like he did when they were small. He wanted so much, he needed so much. But he couldn't have any of it and he knew it. He would not put his boys in danger of this demon getting its hands on them.

He drove until he was forced to stop for gas. It wasn't until he started to pump gas into the truck that he realized he hadn't taken care of his injuries from the poltergeist's attack. Actually he probably wouldn't even have noticed then if it hadn't been for the reaction of another customer. The poor girl nearly screamed when she saw the dried blood on his face. After reassuring the girl that he was fine he grabbed his bag and went to the men's' room to clean himself up before continuing the trip.

Looking in the mirror John could understand her reaction. He looked like death warmed over. There was dried blood caked in his hair, sideburns and on his face. He had a three inch gash on his forehead that was slightly swollen. He should have taken care of it hours ago, he'd likely end up with another scar. Not that he cared. He had quite a bit of bruising on the left side of his face too. After cleaning up, applying a bandage to his forehead and changing his shirt he paid for his gas and left.

John never even realized where he was going until he passed the sign that said Lawrence Kansas. A few minutes later he pulled into the driveway and saw Missouri standing on her front porch waiting for him. She knew. She always knew.

"Well, John Winchester come on in. Dinners on the table," she said with a smile as he got out of the truck.

He grinned at her his mood lightening immediately, "Missouri, one of these times I'm going to surprise you."

"How? You gonna eat before you get here?" she joked, "Come on now we don't want it to get cold."

John chuckled he'd really missed the old girl. Missouri had a way about her that made you feel like you'd come home. He grabbed both his bags, weapons and clothes out of the truck and followed her inside.

"Old girl," Missouri asked. "I know you know I heard that too John. You call me old again boy, even in your mind and I'm gonna whack you with a spoon. You here me?"

Smiling he set his bags down in the living room next to the television which was broadcasting the news. There was a report about an airplane, United Britannia flight 2485 that crashed the day before. It was only forty minutes into its flight before it when down somewhere in Pennsylvania. All but seven people on the plain died. The current speculation was that it was pilot error that caused the accident.

"That crash wasn't the pilot's fault." Missouri told John as he watched. "Something else caused that plane to go down."

John looked at her briefly then back to the television. He nodded at her, "I'll start looking into it after we eat then."

"No," she replied, "You don't need to. Check you phone John, then come on into the kitchen and let's eat."

John looked at her quizzically as she left, but pulled out his phone. He had one missed call and one voice message. Damn, some times that woman scared him.

"I heard that!" she yelled from the kitchen.

He called his voice mail and listed to his message.

"_John this is Jerry Panowski. You helped me out a few years ago up here in Manning Pennsylvania. I think I may have another problem a bigger one. The kind only you can handle. I'm going to call your son but I wanted you to know. Thanks again."_

"Well come on John the fried chicken's getting cold!" Missouri called.

John grinned and snapped his phone shut. Missouri made the best fried chicken he'd ever had. When he arrived in the kitchen she had a huge smile on her face and was setting the last of the food on the table. John pulled out her chair for her and waited until she sat before taking his own seat.

"That's what I like about you John, you're such a gentleman." Missouri told him.

"And here I thought it was my winning personality," he replied.

They dished food onto their plates and this time John remembered not to start eating until after Missouri said the blessing. The last time she _had_ hit him with a spoon because he started eating before she had said the blessing. She held his hand while she prayed and added a prayer to look after him and his boys. John smiled at her. She knew this type of prayer wasn't his thing. It wasn't that he didn't believe in God, in fact, he _knew_ there was a God. Demons were fallen angels, which imply that there were also good angels. If there are angels then there is a God. He just wasn't on speaking terms with him right now. He hadn't been since Mary died.

"You know John sometimes the strangest things run through your mind." Missouri said.

"Well stay the hell out of there and you won't here them." John replied with a smile just before he started to devour his first piece of chicken.

"I can't help it, you're a loud thinker," she said. "And by the way, of course you're on speaking terms with the man upstairs. You say a silent prayer every day for your boys. You just won't ask for anything for yourself."

John didn't reply but Missouri felt a shield suddenly come up around John's thoughts. She knew that some people could do that, but she had never known John to be able to do it before. It completely cut off her reading of him.

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"What?"

"You just put up a shield around your thoughts. It's like a brick wall between them and me. I'm impressed."

John grinned, "A lot of the things I fight have abilities I don't have. So I've been doing some reading on talents like yours. One of the books mentioned a way to keep from broadcasting my thoughts. I thought this would be a good place to practice."

She nodded at him with a smile. "Now, you want to tell me why you're running away from your boys?" she asked.

"To keep them safe," he replied.

"What's happening John? You normally won't let them out of your sight. How is leaving them protecting them?"

"I have a demon after me. Well, several demons. They are safer away from me right now."

"A demon?" Missouri asked eyes wide. "Is it…"

John nodded. "It's a bad one," he said.

"Is there any other kind?" she asked.

He laughed, "No, but this is worse then any I've ever come across. I can't take chances with anyone's lives. My being here with you is dangerous for you. I probably shouldn't have come. I don't even know why I did."

"Because you needed someone to talk to of course," Missouri told him. "Besides, you're leaving in the morning anyway. It's just one night."

John fingered the wedding band on his hand. "I miss her Missouri. It's been twenty two years and I still miss her," he said sadly.

"Of course you do. You two had a very special kind of love and that kind of love, it doesn't die. It lasts forever."

"It hurts." John said. He was silent for a few minutes then said, "Yesterday I talked to a man whose wife was killed by the same thing that took Mary. He was so… shattered. He blamed his child for the demons attack, for killing his wife. I don't understand how he could do that. He despises his own child. He beats the boy."

"What did you do to him John?" Missouri asked suspiciously. "You didn't hurt him did you?"

"No, not really. He attacked me so I knocked him out, but I wanted to do more than that. At least at first I did. Until I realized nothing I did to him would be worse then what the demon had already done. He was already dead inside."

"Not everyone is as strong as you are John." Missouri said.

John laughed an almost pain filled laugh. "Strong?" he replied, "I'm not strong Missouri. I'm week as a day old kitten. The only thing keeping me going is my need to protect my boys. I just pray I have the strength to do that and finish this."

Missouri chuckled the silly man didn't even realize what he just said belied his earlier comment about speaking to God. "You will do what you have to do John. You'll get rid of this thing. I know you will."

They finished the meal in silence then Missouri showed John to the guest room and allowed him to settle in for the night.

"Thank you, Missouri," he told her before going to bed. "I'm glad I came."

"Me too," she replied. "You have a good trip to California and make sure you lock the door on your way out in the morning. I am not getting up at the ungodly hour that you plan on leaving. And John, when you get to Palo Alto, you remember there wasn't anything you could do. It wasn't your fault."

John just looked at her with a sad smile on his face. It was his fault he knew it was. He should have gotten his son out of there faster. If he had Jessica might still be alive. "Good night Missouri."

"Good night John," she replied, "You come back and visit again soon."

**A/N Please read and review and thank you to all my loyal readers. I really appreciate all the reviews. **


	12. The Second Attack

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, but by golly it would be a blast to just rent the men from supernatural for an evening or two wouldn't it! Just think of the stories I could write with that kind of incentive!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter twelve**

It was four thirty in the morning when John quietly locked Missouri's front door and loaded his bags in the truck. Before pulling out of the driveway he though to himself, but knew he was sharing. Take care Missouri. I'll return when I can, when I know it's safe.

He made it as far as Vernal Utah before he stopped for the night. It had taken nearly fifteen hours of straight driving. After checking in to a small, but nice motel he found a diner and ate. He was tired, but not particularly sleepy so he chose a roadhouse not far from his motel. He ordered a beer and watched people play pool. He didn't really need cash, but he did enjoy shooting pool. It had been Daniel Elkins who suggested he use his skills as a pool player to earn extra cash. He'd been right, as usual, it was a good idea.

He had passed not far from Elkins place on this trip and had seriously considered stopping. He missed the old guy. John could admit, at least, to himself that the argument they had, had been his fault. He was so stubborn back then, so driven.

He would have to make things right with Elkins sometime soon. The older hunter didn't deserve the way John had treated him after all he'd done for him and his boys. Most of what John knew about hunting had come from Elkins. He owed the man more then he could ever repay.

John watched several games judging the skills of the players and their level of inebriation. He also tried to choose a mark that looked like they could afford to loose some cash. One thing he hated was taking money from someone who really needed it. Of course if they needed it they had no business gambling it away, but some people just didn't think they could loose.

His gazed slipped from table to table as the games were played. It returned regularly to the table in the far corner where a man continually beat his opponents. John watched as one by one five players lost to the skills of the six foot biker that ran the table. John smiled as he watched the man pocket the cash from his latest victory. He went to the table and placed his quarters on the table indicating that he would have the game after the one being racked currently.

John knew the biker would beat the man racking the balls. He'd watched the man play a game on a different table and he was certain the man was way out of his league on this one. Sure enough the game was over within minutes and John was racking the balls for his game with the biker. As he racked them he knew the biker was sizing him up trying to decide what kind of player he was. John saw him nod to himself and knew the man had decided John was going to be a good player so he was surprised when the man offered to bet fifty dollars on the game.

"That's a hefty bet for a game we both know is going to be close." John told him.

The man laughed. "I've been playing with these losers all night long, waiting for someone who can actually play the damn game and make it interesting. I think you are going to give me a run for _their_ money and that's worth it to me, even if I loose everything I just won."

John grinned at him, "Just remember you said that," he told the biker, "because I plan on relieving you of it."

John was enjoying himself. Something he hadn't done in a very long time. He won the first two games, but the biker had actually taken him on the third. The only person who had beaten him at pool in several years was Dean. They played four more games John won three and the biker won the last one.

He grinned at John, "While your rack um, I'm gonna take a leak. I'll be right back."

John racked the balls and as he finished the waitress came by and he ordered another beer for both of them. He looked around the room as he waited for the biker to return. It was getting late and there weren't very many people left in the bar. The waitress came up with their drinks just as the biker returned. John paid her and held out one of the bottles to the other man.

"You ready to get beat again?" John asked him with a smirk.

"I think it's definitely your turn." The man said his eyes turning solid black as he said it. "And I'm not talking about a game."

Caught almost completely off guard, John tried to duck out of the way, but the bottle he had just given the man was smashed hard against the side of his head. It shattered spilling beer and blood and causing him to spin away and slam into the pool table. The waitress stepped between the biker and John in a vain attempt to stop the fight and not realizing the extent of the danger she was in. John recovered from his fall and tried to save her, but he was too late. He watched in horror as the biker sunk the broken beer bottle into the woman's stomach and pulled up ripping her belly open with a laugh.

John caught her as the possessed man pushed her off the bottle into his arms. "Here is another one that died for you and you couldn't save. I came to tell you that your boys are next. They just sent a friend of mine back to hell and I think it's time they paid for it. No matter what the boss says those boys of yours are going to suffer for what they just did. I may not be allowed to kill them yet, but I can make them suffer."

John gently lowered the dying woman to the ground while anger rolled through him in a wave of cold fury. He said nothing to the demon instead he grabbed a pool stick from the table and before the demon could react John hit him in the face with a force fueled by all his rage. The man was knocked against the wall and slid down unconscious.

John checked the waitress, but as he suspected it was already too late. She was dead. He walked out to his truck retrieved the items he would need and walked back into the bar. Several people were still in the bar including the barmaid who told John an ambulance was on the way.

He walked to the biker turned him onto his back and poured holy water on his chest. Steam rose as the holy water burned the man's skin and he began to wake up and struggle. John sat on his chest and began the incantation that would send the son of bitch straight back to hell.

Paramedics arrived and went first to the waitress. John watched them out of the corner of his eye as he continued the ritual. When they approached him and the biker he gave them a look that stopped them in their tracks. They knew a dangerous situation when they saw one. They just didn't know that the man on the ground was the more dangerous person until the ritual was complete.

The demon struggled harder and John poured more holy water on it. He looked the demon in the eye and stopped the Latin ritual. "Tell your boss I said hello you son of bitch. And tell him he better keep his sorry ass away from my family. Or I will march straight into hell and destroy every one of you evil son's of bitches," he said with a fierceness born of anger.

He completed the last line of the ritual as the police arrived and began to pull him off the biker. He didn't fight them as they yanked him back and snapped on the handcuffs. They all backed up away from the biker as he arched his back and screamed. Black swirling smoke that was the demon rose from his mouth, nose and eyes. It swirled in a vortex of darkness before seeping down into the floorboards and disappearing back to hell.

John sank to his knees between the officers as everyone in the room silently watched the final minutes of the demons existence in this realm. He wanted to scream out his despair. Another woman was dead because he couldn't protect her. He needed to leave before his emotions overwhelmed him. But knew that was not an option.

"What the hell was that?" One of the police officers asked.

John didn't answer. He was afraid to say anything until he got his anger and despair under control. He knelt between his captors passively as they tried to make sense out of what they had just seen.

"Holy Mary, Mother of God," One of the other patrons said pointing at John. "That man just performed an exorcism on the other guy. That was a damn demon that just… Oh, God I'm going to be sick."

"A what?" asked the officer.

"An exorcism," the barmaid said choking back tears. "You have the wrong man in custody. The other guy killed Sally, this man tried to save her."

The paramedics approached the now conscious biker. They removed his shirt and checked the burns on his chest, but where earlier the skin was hot enough to be bubbling it was now just raw red splotches. The EMT checked the man for any other damage, but other then a lump where John had hit him with the heavy end of the pool stick there were no other injuries.

John on the other hand was bleeding badly from where the bottle had struck him. He was also nauseous though he wasn't sure if that was from his injury or from looking at the now dead waitress that had tried to help him and ended up paying the ultimate price for it.

One of the paramedics noticed John's injuries and came to help him. John didn't make a sound as the man quickly and efficiently took care of him. "Sir, you have a concussion. It would be best if you went to the hospital and had this checked out," he told John. John replied by negatively shaking his head.

One of the police officers cuffed the biker and brought him to a sitting position. He looked dazed and confused and had a difficult time answering the officers many questions. Until finally the man said the smartest thing he could under the circumstances. "I want a lawyer." After that the officers left him alone fearing they might ruin the case against him.

Statements were being taken by the officers and everyone agreed about two things. John was not the aggressor, he had only defended himself. And John had tried to save the waitress.

John still had not answered any questions that had been asked of him. The police had his wallet with his real identification in it. Thankfully all his fake ID's were in the locked compartment in his truck. They had run his drivers license and it came back no wants no warrants as he knew it would.

Then, to his amazement he was uncuffed and his property returned. "Mr. Winchester everyone here is telling us the same thing. You didn't do anything wrong. The thing is though we need to hear from you what happened. Why don't you sit with me over here at this table and tell me what happened."

John told the man everything exactly how it had happened and for once leaving nothing out. There was no way to put the demon back in the bottle so to speak so he had to hope the officers believed their own eyes. The Winchester family motto of we do what we do and we keep quiet about it was just not going to work this time. This whole thing had been a cluster fuck because John was having to much fun and neglected the danger.

Even though he had watched the end result of the exorcism the officer taking John's statement was skeptical about what John had said. Evidently demons shooting pool was just a bit much for the man.

Some time later John was allowed to leave with a stern warning not to leave town. John assured the officer that he had already checked into a motel and was entirely too hurt and too tired to drive anywhere.

Two hours after the incident as John was passing through Salt Lake City he called Pastor Jim and asked him to see if he could find out what his boys were doing. He needed to make sure they were no longer in Pennsylvania. John didn't tell Pastor Jim about what had just happened, but the man knew something was wrong. He offered for John to come stay with him for a day or two, but of course John refused.

It was too dangerous. These damn demons would kill anyone who got in their way and John would not use his friends as cannon fodder. From now on he would have to be very careful about contacting or seeing any of the people who normally help him. Their lives were in danger just because they knew him.

Pastor Jim called back in just a few minutes and told John what he wanted to here. The boys had completed the job they'd been working on and were on their way to Toledo Ohio.

It was nearing morning when exhaustion finally forced John to stop. He was somewhere in Nevada in another no name town at another tiny motel, but this time it didn't matter. He was too tired and to emotionally drained to care where he was. He salted the door and window then lay down on the bed fully clothed. He had a gun in one hand, and a knife in the other. He could no longer afford to take chances. People around him were starting to die again.

**A/N Please read and review, I hope you are all enjoying the story. Please let me know what you think about it. Reviews help me write. Good reviews and even those that contain constructive criticisms. Again, thanks for taking the time to read it!**


	13. Concussion

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, but by golly it would be a blast to just rent the men from supernatural for an evening or two wouldn't it! Just think of the stories I could write with that kind of incentive!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter thirteen**

His phone rang several times before a groan escaped his lips and his eyes fluttered open. His head hurt, he was stiff as hell and he was still tired. He put down the knife that was still in his handand reached into his pocket for his phone. By the time he got it out it had quit ringing. He set it on the bed without looking at it. The gun joined the knife and phone as he decided a shower would help.

John sat up on the edge of the bed and immediately regretted the action. The room spun around and nausea seized his stomach. His hands went to his head in a vain attempt to calm the throbbing pain. He slid from the bed, reached for the trash can, and vomited the contents of his stomach into it. Each convulsion from his stomach sent another throb of pain shooting through his head.

When he had nothing left in his stomach and the dry heaves stopped. He sat on the floor his back his against the bed, head in his hands and tried to make the room stop spinning. He was so weak he could barely keep himself upright. Why didn't Dean come help him? He should have heard his father's distress and come to help. "Dean," he called quietly looking at the bed normally occupied by his son. But Dean wasn't there and as the realization struck home he closed his eyes and laid his head back on the bed. It took him several minutes to recall where he was and why his son wasn't with him.

The EMT had said he had a concussion. John suspected he was right and it was playing hell with him. He reached for his bag and dug around until he found some extra strength Tylenol. Swallowing six of them without the aid of water he leaned back, closed his eyes, and waited for them to ease the pain that threatened to burst from his skull.

Some time later, using the bed as a crutch he climbed to his feet and leaning on the wall was able to make his way to the bathroom. He stripped his clothes off and turned the shower on to lukewarm. He knew if he made it too hot it would do more damage then good. He stood in the shower leaning against the wall just letting the water run over him. He suspected having been struck hard in the head several times in the past three days is what was causing his symptoms and making the concussion worse.

The last time he remembered being this bad off was back when Dean was fifteen and Sammy was eleven. He and Dean had been hunting a pack of werewolves. John had been knocked out almost from the beginning by the Alpha Male. He had been concentrating on killing two others in the pack and the Alpha had been able to come up behind him without his realizing it. Dean shouted at him, but it was already too late the creature had picked him up and slammed him into a large boulder.

The next thing he knew was waking up in the car on the way back to the motel. He couldn't remember what happened, but knew they'd been hunting something. He looked at Dean in the driver's seat. He looked so scared as he concentrated on driving the Impala back to town. "Did we get them?" he asked his son.

"Dad, thank God," he said looking at his father briefly then turning back to the road. "You scared the hell out of me, don't do that again. I'm taking you to the hospital, we're almost there."

"No, I'll be fine son, let's get back to Sammy." John said.

Dean looked at his father and for a second John had thought he was going to argue, but then he said, "Yes, sir." He was silent for a moment then he answered John's first question with a grin. "We wasted them all dad. There were five werewolves in the pack."

When they arrived back at the motel Dean had to help his father from the car and into the room. Sammy had taken one look at his father and demanded that Dean take him to the hospital.

He had no memory of large portions of those three days, but recalled that argument as if it had just happened. It was the first time Sammy had stood up to his father. Dean was helping support him as they entered the motel. Sammy had taken one look and at him and said, "Dad, we need to take you to the Hospital."

"No," John had said to his young son. "I'll be fine."

Sam had taken a good look at his father then and shaken his head. "No, you have a concussion.You know the symptoms, you taught us what they were.You need to see a doctor Dad, now."

"Sam, I'm not going and that's final. Just help your brother unload the car we'll talk about this after I clean up."

Sam had stood up as tall as he could and got right in his father's face. "You turn right around and get back in the car! We're taking you to the hospital. Dean can drive."

John remembered raising his eyebrows at his young son's nerve. "Excuse me?"

"Dad," Sam had shrieked at him. "Have you even looked at yourself in a mirror? You have a concussion. You are the one who told us how dangerous they could be."

"I know I do Sam," John replied. His head hurt and his son yelling wasn't making it better. "But it's not that bad. We can handle this. Now Do as I said. That's an order son. No more argument."

Sam had turned to his brother who was standing there holding up his father in complete shock at his brother's sudden outburst. "Dean, tell him!"

"Sammy, he won't go. We'll just have to do the best we can." Dean had replied. "Help me get him to the bed."

John was both proud of the way his son had stood up to him and upset about it at the same time. Of course he had no idea that it was only the first of many arguments they would have. But at the time he was proud of the boy that had taken guts.

For three days he had drifted in and out of consciousness and his boys had taken care of him and done a great job. He remembered thinking Sam had been right. He should have gone to the hospital. He sure wouldn't have been much help if something had attacked them.

Now, as he stood in the shower he realized he should once again take his young son's advice but he knew he couldn't take the chance. He really didn't think this was as severe as the last time, since he hadn't actually been knocked out.

He finished his shower dried off and stumbled back towards the bed. He was tired and weak, but he did feel a bit better. His head didn't hurt quite as much as it did earlier either. He decided that where ever he was he should stay for a few days. He got dressed and walked to the office and paid for a two more nights stay. He stopped at the vending machine on the way back to the room and picked up a few bottles of Gatorade. He knew he wouldn't be able to eat anything yet, but he had to keep from getting dehydrated.

When he got back to his room he took a few more Tylenol and lay back down on the bed. The short trip to the office and back had sapped what little strength he had left. He wondered what his boys were doing. Pastor Jim had told him they were on their way to Toledo Ohio to look into some strange deaths.

They had finished the job in Pennsylvania and he knew it had been a demon that brought down that plane. The biker demon had told him that much. It terrified John to think of the danger his boys had been in just coming into contact with the demon. Let alone exorcising it. A demon, what the hell were they thinking going after something like that?

He felt a lump under his back and pulled the offending object out from under him. It was his phone. He looked at the display which said one missed call, one voice message. Flipping open the phone he looked at the number for the missed call. It was Jerry Panowski again.

John dialed his voice mail and listened to the message.

"_John, I just wanted you to know you should be proud of your boys. They found out the thing that took down theplane was a demon. Damn, it still freaks me out, I mean a demon? Well anyway. They were able to figure out that it was trying to kill all the survivors from 2485. Those boys of yours got onto a plane they knew was going to crash if they didn't stop the thing. And they did.It tried to take the plane down, but yourboys stopped it andsaved all the people on the plane. Well… I just wanted you to know. Again I owe you Winchesters more then anyone can ever repay. Thanks, and when you see your boys, tell them thanks again from me_."

John replayed the message twice more, completely unable to believe what he had just heard. The fact that Dean had gotten onto an airplane was nothing short of a miracle. It went way beyond that when you considered he _knew_ the plane was going to crash if they couldn't stop the demon.

John knew why Dean was afraid to fly. When he was five and Sammy just over a year old they had gone to the airport to pick up Pastor Jim. They had been staying at his place while he was away at a conference. Dean was getting a real kick out of watching the planes take off and land when suddenly one of them had crashed into the runway bursting into flames as it flipped over several times before coming to a stop. After that getting Dean to even enter an airport was a struggle that John had finally decided wasn't worth the effort. It had never really mattered since they drove most everywhere anyway.

Pride for his son swelled in John. The boy had faced one of his greatest fears and was able to accomplish a near impossible task while doing so. When John thought of those boys performing a ritual exorcism on an airplane full of people as itwas about to crash it scared the hell out of him. He wanted to ring both their necks, but he was still proud of them.

John fell asleep thinking of his boys and the pride he had in their accomplishments.

**A/N Please read and review and don't worry… John is going to make it Palo Alto in the next chapter. I promise. I know ya'll just can't wait until I have him looking down at Jessica's grave for the first time.**


	14. Palo Alto

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, but by golly it would be a blast to just rent the men from supernatural for an evening or two wouldn't it! Just think of the stories I could write with that kind of incentive!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter fourteen**

When John arrived in Palo Alto he went straight to the apartment Sammy had shared with Jessica. He knew where it was because he'd been there before on more then one occasion. Many times in the past he had parked his truck outside his son's apartment and watched to be sure his son was safe. He had done the same thing when Sam was in the dorm during his freshman and junior years too and it was a good thing.

A few months after Sam had started classes at Stanford John had heard of several accidents in the same dorm his son occupied. After looking into the problem John had discovered it was the malevolent spirit of a professor that had been accidentally killed by a student. Sam had been so focused on his studies that he didn't even realize there was a problem. His youngest son was like that. Once he started something he put everything into what he was doing and often neglected the other things that were happening around him. John had taken care of the spirit with Sam none the wiser.

Sam's old apartment building was still standing, though a condemned sign was posted on the door. That was a good thing for John. It meant it was unoccupied and he would be able to look around freely. He steeled himself for the onslaught of emotion he knew was going to strike when he entered the building, but nothing could prepare him for what he was about to do. He knew what he would find inside, but he still had to go in. He had to be sure.

He entered the apartment and his breath caught in throat and for a moment he couldn't breathe. Seeing everything burned to ashes and that smell. Oh God the smell that still permeated the room it struck him like a ton of bricks. He struggled to gain control over his emotions. Sorrow, despair, fear, and anger raced through him as he stood in the entryway afraid, to go further, but knowing he had no choice. He had no idea how long it took, but finally he was able to stifle his anxieties and move into the room.

The apartment was still littered with many of the burned or ruined personal items of Sammy and Jessica. Furniture lay broken and tossed around by the firemen. A bike broken and partially melted lay on the floor. Clothes, textbooks, dishes and other things were strewn about the living and kitchen areas. Something on the floor caught his attention and he reached down and picked it up. It was a partially burned picture of him with his arms wrapped around Mary. Between the fire and the water damage the picture was in bad shape, but John brushed it off and put it in his pocket.

He sighed and continued his tour of the apartment. The fire had devastated the bedroom. There was also damage to most of the living area and parts of the kitchen. Theirs had been the top floor apartment and parts of the roof were missing where they'd been burned away or cut open by the firefighters. If John had not already been aware of what he would find he would have been surprised to find little to no damage to the floor of the apartment. He knew the fire was based at the ceiling where Jessica had been pinned above the bed.

John could picture the scene in his head with such clarity even though he hadn't been here. Jessica pinned silently to the ceiling her hair spread out around her head like a halo and her stomach sliced open. Blood would have dripped on to his son as though in some horrible form of baptism. Then suddenly, without warning, she would have burst into flames. Flames that took on a life of their own and chased away anyone who came to help her. He had seen it before. The scene was the same the place and time were all that had changed.

John left the apartment and returned to the truck. His hands were shaking as he reached for and held the steering wheel to stop them. "I'm sorry Sammy," he whispered as put the truck in gear and drove away.

His next stop was the police department where John, in the guise of an FBI agent, received a copy of the official report on the fire. They didn't find anything. No fingerprints, no DNA, no blood, nothing at all no sign of anyone else in the apartment. They determined the fire was caused by an electrical short in the ceiling and with no other evidence to the contrary the case had been determined an accident and closed. John, however, knew it was no accident. He knew what had killed Jessica and the demon was going to pay for what it was putting his son through. John would make sure of it.

His next chore was pretty much useless and he knew it, but it still needed to be done. He began canvassing the neighborhood around Sam's apartment. A normally difficult task made that much more so by the fact that this was a college town and many of the residents had already returned home in anticipation of the coming holidays. He spent two days talking to Sam's friends and neighbors. No one had seen anything suspicious. No one knew anything. Everyone said the same thing. Just what he had suspected.

The cattle all died the exact same way as those that had died in Arizona. Hearts ripped from their chests as they stood still with no blood spilled on or around the carcasses. Six cattle had been mutilated on the day of an electrical storm that brought no rain. Just as they had in Arizona.

John was through here. There was nothing more he could do in Palo Alto, but he had one more stop to make before he left.

The cemetery was quiet. There were a few people visiting graves but no one in the area where he found hers. She had a large headstone with her picture sealed into the stone with a glass cap. She was beautiful so much like Mary it was frightening. Her headstone read:

Jessica Lee Moore  
Beloved Daughter  
January 24, 1983 – November 2, 2005

And for the first time John was struck with the fact that Mary and Jessica had died on the same day. For some reason even though he knew it was true it had not sunk in, but now, seeing it written in stone. He knew it was important. It was something else he needed to look into, though he could do that from anywhere.

He knelt down next to the gravestone and wiped away a few dead leaves that had fallen on it. He tried to speak, choked, and tried again. "Sweetheart, you and I we… um we've never met, not really and I'm sorry for that. I saw you though, several times." John said quietly to her picture. "Sammy, he's my son, he really liked you. I think he was even going to ask you to marry him. I would have liked that. Anyway, I'm sorry. I'm sorry this happened to you and I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you. I should have been."

"He was you know," said a voice from behind him. "He was going to ask her to marry him on New Years Day. He already had the rings."

John stood and turned to face the speaker. He knew the kid, even though they'd never been introduced. It was Sam's old roommate. The one he'd shared a dorm with for the first two years of school. John couldn't answer. He just nodded his head.

"You're Sam's dad. Where is he? We've all been worried about him."

"I don't know, but he's with his brother."

The young man nodded and said, "You should be with him, he needs you now. I know you two had your differences. He never really spoke about you, but he had a picture of you on the night stand in the dorm. He looked at it all the time. I think the picture gave him some kind of solace… and strength; especially when he was down." The young man stopped for a second then said, "Anyway, when you see him tell him to call will ya?"

Before John could reply the boy walked away leaving John staring after him.

**A/N Please read and review and thanks again for all the wonderful comments! **


	15. The Death of a Son

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural. It's too bad really because I enjoy playing with it!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter fifteen**

John left Palo Alto and headed over to Lincoln, Nebraska. He was running short on consecrated rounds for his .45 and needed to see Caleb to get more. He took a long leisurely way around the state of Utah. He doubted if they had a B.O.L.O out on him, for the incident in the bar, but there was no real need to take any chances. He wasn't in a rush to get anywhere. Besides his son's would have heard of the incident by now and may be in the area looking for him. It was best to stay as far away as possible.

Not being in a hurry he quit the road early each night and used the time to earn extra cash to pay Caleb for the ammo. It was always a struggle to get the man to accept payment but if he had to he'd leave it somewhere in the house before he left. Caleb was a good man, and good at making the special rounds he needed. He was always coming up with new and inventive ways to kill the evil creatures they hunted.

Last time John was there he picked up some new rounds Caleb had designed that were made with consecrated iron and had holy water sealed into the hollow point. Those had really done a number on the black dog he'd hunted up in Colorado. It was always an adventure visiting Caleb too bad John couldn't stay longer then a day or two but he didn't want to put his friend in danger by staying too long.

It took him almost six days to get to Lincoln. He had stayed in Idaho Falls, Nebraska a few extra days to take care of a very nasty spirit that was haunting a now vacant lot. It had been nailing people to the wooden fence that surrounded the lot. It was an easy job, involving more research then work. Though digging up graves was not John's favorite part of this job it was often necessary. Like in this case. All he had to do was find the grave of the spirit, dig it up then salt and burn the bones. He did all of this without incident.

When he pulled up to Caleb's place he found the man was not there. This was not at all unusual since Caleb was a hunter as well as a munitions and weapons expert. John used the key Caleb kept hidden and let himself inside. He dropped his two duffle bags in the extra room and went outside to the garage where Caleb had a 1967 Ford Mustang that he was restoring. John worked on the car for several hours before he heard Caleb's truck pull into the driveway.

After a quick clean up he went out to speak with Caleb and found him still sitting in the truck. John knew right away that something was wrong. Walking around to the driver's side he opened the door and looked at his friend. Blood soaked the entire left side of his shirt. He was pale and his breaths were coming in ragged gasps. He looked at John and grinned, "Well, you're a welcome sight. I was beginning to wonder how I was going to get inside."

"Damn boy, you need to learn how to duck." John asked by way of reply.

John carefully helped his friend out of the truck and into the house. He was weak, barely able to stand and John wondered how the man had driven home in this condition. "Why the hell didn't you go to a hospital?" John asked as he lay his friend down on the bed.

Caleb didn't answer he was out cold. That was a blessing for the man because John was going to have to remove his shirt and clean up the wound. But before he did that he would have to get himself cleaned up and get Caleb's first aid kit. Like John, Caleb kept an excellent kit almost as good as a medic in the Marines. It should have everything John would need.

After cleaning up and retrieving the kit John carefully cut away Caleb's shirt revealing what looked like an axe strike. He had a deep gash that ran from his shoulder to his the center of his chest. He had lost a lot of blood but the bleeding seemed to have stopped. John had no idea how the man had driven himself home let alone got in the truck to begin with.

Since he didn't know what had caused the wound John cleaned it first with holy water and then saline solution and once more with holy water. When he finished he stitched the injury and after bandaging it he immobilized Caleb's left arm to keep him from reopening the wound. He would survive, but due to the amount of blood he'd lost he would be very weak for a few days. John would have to make sure he drank lots of fluids.

Digging through Caleb's medicine cabinet he found some vicadin and some antibiotics. He set the bottles down on the bedside table with a glass of water for when his friend was awake enough to take them then he cleaned up the mess.

When he was done John retrieved his laptop and sat in the easy chair next to the bed. John had always laughed at Caleb for having the chair in his room instead of the living room, but he wasn't laughing today. Today he thought the chair was in the right place.

Opening the laptop he began his search on the significance of November second. As it turns out November second is a holiday called The Day of The Dead or All Souls Day. It has been celebrated by many religions and cultures. Christians believe it to be a day of celebration and prayer that releases souls from purgatory and allows them to ascend into heaven.

Ancient Celtics believe the Day of the dead is an interval during which the normal order of the universe is suspended and the barriers between the natural and the supernatural are temporarily removed. This allows supernatural beings and the spirits of the dead move freely among men and interfere sometimes violently, in their affairs. The practice of offering sacrifices, usually of animals, but sometimes of humans, in order to placate the gods and frighten away evil spirits was commonplace in ancient times. Priests who carried out the rituals in the open air were called Druids, members of pagan orders in Britain, Ireland and Gaul, who generally performed their rituals by burning the sacrifices on bonfires.

John even found a reference to the Day of the Dead having been reputed to be the day Satanism broke from Christianity and Paganism creating a new religion. John wasn't sure how any of this, if any, was going to work into the pattern that was forming on the demons attacks. He had only just scratched the surface on the research for The Day of the Dead.

Caleb's slight moan attracted John's attention away from the computer. He set down the laptop, stood and went to his friend as his eyes slowly fluttered open. "Welcome back," John said.

"Did I go somewhere?" Caleb asked.

"Not this time," John replied. "What the hell were you after?"

"Zombie."

John helped Caleb sit up so he could take the medicines and drink some water. "How did you let a zombie get this damn close? The things are slow as hell."

"Didn't," his friend replied weakly. "The Shit head that animated it did."

"You're slipping Caleb."

Caleb shook his head weakly in denial. "It was a freaking girl."

Caleb took the first two pills from John and struggled to get them down with the water. He coughed several times, but was finally able to get them down. "When are you going to start to realize girls can be just as dangerous, hell the can be more dangerous then men."

"You know I can't hurt a girl."

"That attitude is going to get you killed one day Caleb, but… I understand." John replied quietly. He did understand, he knew why his friend would not strike a girl, ever. He had watched his father kill his sister in a drunken rage with just one blow. There hadn't even been time for Caleb to react let alone stop the man.

John helped him take the two remaining pills then lie back down. It didn't take long for his friend to fall back to sleep. For the next few days John slept in the recliner keeping a close watch over his friend. On the third day after his return Caleb woke feeling better though he was still weak and very sore. He was able to get up and move around with only a little discomfort.

They were down in the basement where Caleb stored and worked on all his weapons and munitions. "Hey John," Caleb said, "I forgot to tell you I spoke with Dean last week."

John's gaze went immediately to his friend.

"You'll never guess who they defeated up in Toledo." His friend was grinning at him.

"Who?" John asked curious.

"Bloody Mary."

"What?"

"Yeah, Bloody Mary. Hell even I thought she was just an urban legend."

Caleb told John what Dean had told him about Mary Worthington a.k.a. Bloody Mary.

"So where ever the mirror when Mary went." John said

"Yeah."

"How did they pin her down to her own mirror?"

"I don't know. I guess one of them called her to it, but whatever they did it worked."

John smiled. His boys were good, very good. "Where are they now?" he asked.

"They were in St. Louis when I talked to him. One of Sam's college buddies was in trouble and they were trying to help."

"You know you can't tell them where I am right."

"I know you don't want me too, but I gotta tell ya John I disagree with it. I think those boys can help. You trained them well."

"No, not with this one. It's too dangerous."

Caleb didn't argue. They went upstairs to the living room where John sat down with his laptop and Caleb started sifting through his many newspapers circling articles and making notations. They'd been at their separate tasks for about thirty minutes when John let out an agonized scream. "NO! Oh God, no!"

Caleb turned to his friend he was pale as a ghost his breath coming in gasps as he repeated the same phrase over and over. Caleb stood and went to his friend's side, "John, what's wrong? Come on man talk to me." He got no response. Caleb turned to the computer screen to see what had set John off. Caleb breath caught in his throat. Oh shit. He needed to find out what happened, maybe get Sam on the phone to talk to John. This was not good.

On the computer was a composite drawing of Dean. The story began: _Dean Winchester who was the suspect in several brutal slayings was killed today… _

"John, hold on, I'm going to get Sammy on the phone. Find out what happened."

Caleb called Sam, but it wasn't Sam who answered. "Hello?" Said a very familiar voice, one that he should not be hearing. He sighed, "Dean, is that you?"

"Yeah, what's up Caleb?"

"I just read about you getting killed in St. Louis. What happened?" Caleb watched John for any sign that he was paying attention to the conversation he was having, but his eyes never left the computer's screen. His shouts were down to a low whisper as tears ran unchecked down his face. Caleb wouldn't have thought it possible, but John was getting even paler then he was before.

"Shape shifter."

"Shit," Caleb said as John slid from the chair to the floor. "Dean let me call you back okay."

"Sure."

Caleb hung up and went to John. His eyes had never left the computer screen even though he was now sitting on the floor. He slammed the laptop shut and got in John's face. "John, look at me." Caleb shouted. When John's eyes were looking at his Caleb told him. "It wasn't him John, it was a shape shifter. I just spoke with him. Dean is alive. He's not dead. DEAN IS ALIVE!"

It took a few minutes for what Caleb said to sink into John's terrified mind. Then, finally, almost in a whisper he said, "He's alive? How?"

"It was a shape shifter John. It wasn't him. It just looked like him."

John closed his eyes and lowered his head to his chest, "Thank God."

**A/N Hope you enjoyed it and sorry it took so long to post. I've been working for 12 days straight and decided to take yesterday off from writing, but I'm back. Please read and review!**


	16. Cheating

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, but by golly it would be a blast to just rent the men from supernatural for an evening or two wouldn't it! Just think of the stories I could write with that kind of incentive!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter sixteen**

John couldn't move. He didn't know if it was the shock of seeing the announcement of Dean's death or the relief when Caleb told him it wasn't his son that had died. Hell it was probably both. He raised his head to look at his friend. "Thank you," he said. He felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach by a horse.

"Come on John," Caleb said, "let's get you off the floor. I'm thinking the couch is gonna be a hell of a lot more comfortable."

John shook his head, "I'm going to just sit here for a few minutes." He didn't trust his legs to hold him up yet.

"Okay, I'll be right back," Caleb replied.

John laid his head back on the chair he'd been sitting in and closed his eyes for a minute. "Thank you Lord," he said out loud.

Caleb returned and pressed a cup into John's hand. "Drink this," he said.

John took the cup from his friend and drank the contents in one swallow. His throat burned as the liquid worked its way down. Whiskey. He glanced up at Caleb, "How much do you know?" he asked as the alcohol started seeping in to warmed him.

"Just what I told you, but I told Dean I'd call him right back." Caleb said. "I had to make sure you knew. I figured details could come later."

John nodded, "Go ahead and call him back. I'd like to know what the hell happened."

Caleb picked up the phone and called Dean back.

Dean should have called him and left a message just to let him know he was okay. Those boys have left messages on his phone before. Why in the hell would they forget to call him about something as important as this? John reached in his pocket for his phone to make sure it was turned on but it wasn't there. He stood slowly and tried to recall the last place he put it. He went to his room and searched his duffle bags but it wasn't there. Then he went to the truck and sure enough his phone was sitting on the seat where he'd left it three days ago when he arrived. He looked at the screen it said he had seven missed calls and five new voice messages.

He checked his messages and the first one was from Dean. He never should have doubted his sons. They weren't like him.

"_Hey dad, I don't know if you're going to get this message or not, but I hope so. It's the only way I know to make sure you knew I was fine. It wasn't me in St. Louis, it was a shape shifter. It was beating the hell out of Sammy, so I had to shoot it when it looked like me. But don't worry, Sammy's fine too. What can I say he has the same hard head as the rest of us Winchesters'. You should have seen the thing Dad it was gross um… except when it looked like me of course then it was a handsome looking cuss. But dad it shed its skin to change its looks. Talk about puke inducing. Anyway, I'm fine, we both are. I just wanted you to know… and Dad, if you get this, call us and let us know you're okay. Please, we're worried about you too."_

The remaining four messages were from Pastor Jim, Joshua, Missouri, and strange enough, Ellen. The first three were calling to tell him Dean was not dead, they had spoken with him. Ellen, however, had not seen the boys since they were small and wouldn't have known how to reach either of them. She was calling to provide some sympathy. It was so like her. They hadn't seen each other in a long time, but it was nice to know she still cared. Word gets around fast in the small community of hunters.

John went inside just as Caleb was getting off the phone with Dean. Caleb related the events of the week the boys had spent in St. Louis. "You know this is going to make things a bit difficult for Dean some times." Caleb said, "I mean, legally he's dead now."

"Well, we'll deal with that when we have to. Right now I'm just glad he's okay. That scared the hell out of me."

"Um… I noticed."

"Where are they now?"

"Ankeny, Iowa."

"How far away is it?"

"Three or Four hours."

"You coming?" John asked Caleb.

"Wait, you're going to go see them? I thought you said it wasn't safe for them to be with you?"

"Who said anything about them being with me? I just want to look, you know see for myself. I'm not going to let them see me."

"You know, that's just wrong." Caleb said, "Don't you think those boys are worried about you?"

"Yeah, I know they are. But they aren't smart enough to find me." John smirked.

"Only because you cheat," Caleb replied. "You get help from the rest of us."

"That's not cheating. That's just stacking the deck in my favor."

"John," Caleb said, "Most people call that cheating."

"I think we should take your truck. If we get to close in mine they might recognize it."

"Fine, but you drive. I need to take a few more pain pills before we go. I know how you drive."

"That's a low blow Caleb." John said with a smile. He could hardly believe that just over an hour ago his entire world had fallen apart. Now it seemed like the weight of the world had been taken from his shoulders.

It only took two hours and forty five minutes to reach Ankeny. It took longer to find Sam and Dean but eventually they found them in the library researching the thing they were hunting.

John sighed quietly as he watched them through one of the book shelves. He was surprisingly close. Close enough to be able to hear some of their conversation. It sounded like they were after the Hook Man. Leave it to those boys to find all the good ones. They couldn't find the easy, relatively safe jobs. No they had to go after the big ones and make sure they were in as much danger as possible. He was doing what he could to keep them safe and they were tossing themselves right in harms way.

John noticed that both boys were starting to get nervous, looking around the room as though searching for something. Sam in particular was having a hard time keeping his eyes on the task at hand. Several times his eyes roved in John's direction.

"Time to go," John said quietly to Caleb who'd been watching quietly from down the row of books. "They're getting suspicious."

"Of course they are," Caleb replied, "You're staring so hard you haven't even blinked since we got here."

Once they returned to Caleb's John announced that he would be leaving in the morning. It was entirely possible that his sons would come visit Caleb knowing how close his place was and wanting to see if he'd seen or heard from John. Besides it was obvious that Caleb was in much better shape then he had been. John had only intended to stay a day and had ended up staying nearly a week.

He had business down in Albuquerque New Mexico. There was a building down there with a black cloud hanging over it that seemed to be driving people insane.

**A/N Please read and review. Thanks again to all my loyal readers. And in answer to all the questions about when John will actually contact his son's, well I am trying to follow the episodes of the show. In the show they didn't have any actual contact until the end of 'Asylum' when John calls them and tells them to quit looking for him. I'm getting there as quick as I can, but these boys and their dad don't like to be rushed. Thanks again! **


	17. Albuquerque

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, but I wish I did. It would be so much fun!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Seventeen**

John was in Albuquerque sitting in the truck across the street from the property where the building that had piqued his curiosity was located. He had already done some research on the property down at the county records office and the library and had discovered that contrary to popular belief the building was never an Insane Asylum. It was actually used for several things over the years beginning in the early 1930's as an orphanage. It was also a nursing home, and boarding house, and finally a hospital. It was never an asylum but, it may have housed some patients that were insane while it was a hospital or nursing home.

He was also able to confirm that The Banditos Motorcycle Club who owned the neighboring property definitely owned this one too. After researching the motorcycle club John decided he needed to try and accomplish this job without pissing them off. He found no evidence that the rumors of the motorcycle club being a bunch of murdering thugs. In fact it was just the opposite. As with most motorcycle clubs these days they did more good things then bad. They just did it quietly so they could keep the bad boy image they seemed to enjoy.

A few discreet questions in was all it took to find out what bar the members of the Banditos hung out. John would go there tonight, but for now, he needed to get a closer look at the building and grounds so he figured a bit of reconisence was a good idea. He reached over and grabbed the package he'd picked up eariler and got out of the truck.

He walked down along the road that bordered the property until the road was clear of cars. Then he jumped the fence and began stealthly making his way towards the large building. The property was overgrown with bushes and dotted with trees. He crossed a channel of water that rippled slightly as the slow moving dark murky water wound its way down past the property.

Once over the channel he passed an old swimming pool that looked like it had not seen use in years. There was only the smallest amount of water at the deepest part of the pool. Likely it was left there during the last rain storm. Before he could make it past the pool he heard a deep menicing growl that stopped him in his tracks. The dog didn't bark, it just growled and he knew the rottweiler that guarded the property had found him. Since the animal was mentioned more then once during his internet search he had been expecting it that's why he had the package.

He pulled the bundle out of his pocket and unwrapped it then called to the dog. He encouraged it to come close enough to get the steak he now held in his hand. The dog was reluctant at first, a steady, deep growl lingering in its throat as it looked at John ready to leap into action. "Come on ya damn mutt, come and get," he said quietly holding out the setative laced steak. Slowly the dog made it's way towards him. He waited until he was sure the animal had the scent of the meat. Then he tossed the steak to the dog and watched as the rottweiler dug in and began devouring the steak. Giving the dog a wide berth John made his way towards the back of the old hospital.

The old building was in an obvious state of disrepair but all the windows and doors were still firmly in place. Scouting completely around the building John got the lay of the land and the building itself. The property was actually several acres of forested land most of which was out back behind the building. There were several man holes indicating the probabilty of tunnels below the old hospital but John wasn't ready to check those out yet. First he need to get inside check out the main building.

The building itself was shaped like the the letter 'P' with the back line of the 'P' at the back of the building or buildings as was actually the case. It seemed to be five separate buildings all connected through a series of covered walkways or halls. Most of the doors leading to the outside had chains around them, but John found one door at the back of the building that only had a deadbolt on it. That he could get past, in fact within less the a minute he was inside the building and working his way throught the debris littered halls checking the rooms as he went.

The place was far from empty each room having a sampling of items ranging from old decomposing beds, broken wheelchairs, tipped over cabints, surgical gloves and all manor of old outdated medical equipment. Entering one of the rooms he got a glimpse of the large courtyard that lay in the middle of the buildings. There was an odd assortment of chairs and couches surrounding an area at the center that had obviously been used for a bonfire. Old beer and soda bottles littered the ground around the chairs and bonfire.

John continued his daylight tour of the building entering and exploring each room as he came to it. His EMF meter stayed silent during his inspection of the building. However, as he made his way to the courtyard outside he began to get an uneasy feeling especially when the EMF started reading off the chart. The hairs on the back of his neck were beginning to itch in reaction to what ever was inhabiting the courtyard. When John closed his eyes he could almost hear the thing. It was like listening to the wind but it sounded almost like whispering. Like someone was whispering something under their breath, again and again… There was definitely something here and now John needed to find out what it was so he could destroy it.

Later that night he made his way past the line of motorcycles outside the pub that was currently occupied by a large number of the Banditos. As he entered the pub most of the patrons turned to look at him. He was definitely out of place here, but he didn't really care. He could hold his own in a bar fight if necessary though he didn't care much for the odds if one got started tonight. There were at least twenty members of the biker club in the bar. John glanced at the colorful vest one of the bikers wore. It looked vaguely familiar though he couldn't place it.

John walked to the bar, got a beer and went to the nearest pool table without caring who was playing. He put his money on the table calling the next game. He watched as the game was played out. The players on this table could not have been more opposite if they tried. One was a very large Hispanic man standing nearly six foot six. He had jet black hair with a matching beard and mustache.

He was getting his ass kicked by his opponent. She was a petite little thing standing just under five feet tall. Her long wavy blonde hair fell nearly to the center of her back and when she turned to John after winning the game her piercing blue eyes laughed as she told him to rack the balls if he planned on playing.

As he racked the balls John watched the other player give the winner a hug and walk away saying, "Samantha it just ain't right such a pretty little thing as you being able to whip me at pool."

"Danny, you know the only one who can beat me is Billy and he's not here so I guess the table is mine for the rest of the night," she called after him.

John smiled. He had only watched her shoot a few rounds, but he was pretty sure she was going to be very good. John got a stick from the rack, checked it, chalked it and waited for her to break.

She took the first shot and sank the three and seven on the break. Then she lined up the five-ball sunk it into the side pocket and lined up the two for a bank shot into the corner pocket but missed the ball.

John walked around the table and sank the thirteen, then took another shot and sank the fifteen and the eleven with the same shot. He was checking the table for the next shot when she said, "You're pretty good at this game. What's your name?"

Deciding on the twelve into the far corner John replied, "John Winchester," as he moved to the end of the table knocked in the twelve then walked around the table lined up on the nine and sank it.

John realized something was wrong as soon as he stood up. The room was quiet and every eye was now turned to him.

"Did you say John Winchester?" she asked.

"Well ma'am," John replied trying to recall if he'd ever pissed off anyone in this town. "That depends on why you're asking."

"I had a friend up in Utah not long ago who got into a little trouble up there," she replied.

John realized then where he'd seen the emblem on the back of the bikers' vests and he was really wishing he'd realized it a little sooner. Things looked like they were about to get interesting for John very swiftly. Giving away nothing John sank the fourteen and followed it with the eight to win the game. He looked around the room and realized if he had to fight his way out he would be in some serious trouble.

"He said you were good at the game. No one's ever beat him besides me," she told John as she watched him sink the eight ball. "He was right, you are good."

"Thanks," John replied. "I think though, that it's time for me to leave."

"Oh," she said, "I don't think so."

John started to put his stick back up in the rack when he felt a heavy hand land on his shoulder. "The lady's talking to you, Winchester. You're not going anywhere until she's done."

Rather then put the pull stick back in the rack John gripped it in both hands and prepared to defend himself as best he could. This was going to get ugly fast.

**A/N Sorry it too so long to post this chapter, I had some computer problems. Anyway hope you enjoyed it and I promise to post the next chapter tomorrow. Please read and review.**


	18. The Banditos

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, but I wish I did. It would be so much fun!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter eighteen**

John started to put his stick back up in the rack when he felt a heavy hand land on his shoulder. "The lady's talking to you, Winchester. You're not going anywhere until she's done."

Rather then put the put stick back in the rack John gripped it in both hands and prepared to defend himself as best he could. This was going to get ugly fast.

John spun to the left raising his left arm over that of the biker and taking a step closer he wrapped his arm around the man's right arm removing it from his shoulder and effectively pinning it to John's side. At the same time the pool stick came swirling around aimed at the side of the bikers head.

"Stop!" Samantha shouted. "John wait!"

The pool stick stopped less then an inch from the bikers head and hung there. The man's wide eyes slid from the stick to John and back. "Shit, you're fast." The man practically whispered as John lowered the pool stick.

Samantha pushed her way between John and the biker "Quit you two! Damn why do men always gotta go all macho like that." The spry little lady pushed the huge biker away from John who released his arm and allowed him to move away. "Danny, quit I got this go get the man another beer will ya." Then she turned to face John and said, "Really, I just want to talk. You are not in any danger here, I promise."

John raised an eyebrow in response. He looked around the room and saw that the other bikers had returned to what they were doing though most of them glanced occasionally in their direction.

"Come on let's get a table so we can talk." Samantha said grabbing John's hand and leading him in the direction of the tables. They were all full, but that didn't stop her she just walked up to the table in the farthest corner and told the three men sitting there, "Jerry, David, Henry, go shoot some pool, I need the table." The men in question stood up picked up their beers and left with only a nod in her direction.

Danny returned with three beers and set one in front of each of them. "Sorry, man I didn't mean to startle you," he told John.

"No problem, but you should thank her," John replied nodding at Samantha. "She saved you from one hell of a headache."

"John," Samantha said, "Billy is my friend. He told me what happened in Utah, the real story."

"How is he doing? I couldn't stick around to find out, it was too dangerous."

"He's facing murder one, but he's alive and that thing is not in him anymore."

"I wish I could help, but no one would believe the truth anyway."

"There were plenty of witnesses who all saw what happened and what you did. They are all backing Billy up on it so maybe he'll at least get a reduced sentence."

"He shouldn't have to face any charges, he didn't do it. The demon did."

Samantha paled, "Demon?" she asked. "I thought it was, you know maybe a ghost or something."

"A ghost would have been easier." John replied, "It was a demon, but thankfully not a very powerful one."

"You knew it was in him. How?" Danny asked.

John turned to him and replied, "Its eyes were a dead giveaway they were solid black, but you can't always tell. This one wanted me to know it was there. I have been surprised by them before. Sometimes it's hard to tell especially if the person being possessed is a stranger. If they are you have no way of knowing if they are acting different."

"You've fought a demon before?" Samantha asked?

"A few," John said nodding.

"Why?" Danny asked.

"They attacked me."

"Why?" Danny asked again.

"Because they know I'm going to kill their master."

"The devil?" Danny asked, "How are you going to kill the devil?"

"No, not him, God I hope not, but an upper level one."

This time it was Samantha that asked, "Why?"

John took a deep breath and looked away trying to decide how much to tell them. He finally decided the truth would be best so he replied, "It killed my wife."

"I'm so sorry John," Samantha said.

Danny shook his head, "I've seen some weird shit, especially out at our place, but a demon, that can't be good."

John nodded, not knowing how to reply to either of them. Instead he chose to change the subject especially since Danny had just left him the perfect opening. "Your place is that old abandoned hospital out on Edith isn't it?"

"Yeah," they both replied together.

"I heard there was a… problem with the place and some people are getting hurt. So I came to check it out."

"Wait? You came here just to find out what's going on out there?"

"Yes."

"So, what you just go around finding these types of things? What are you some kind of paranormal investigator?" Samantha asked.

"Para what?" Danny asked her.

Samantha looked at him and said, "Ghost hunter."

"Not exactly," John replied. "I just… I stop them from hurting anyone else."

"Them what?" Danny asked.

"Whatever I find, I've learned to destroy most things one way or another."

"Should I ask what kind of things you've found?" Danny asked.

"Only if you really want to know," John replied.

"I'll think I'll pass. I've already heard too much." Danny said. "How do you sleep at night?"

"With one hand on my knife and the other on my gun," John said seriously. He noticed the bikers from the next table had turned their chairs and were now listening to the conversation he was having with Samantha and Danny. Looking around the pub he realized many of the bikers were paying more attention to them then what they had been doing.

"That's a hell of a way to live," Samantha told him.

"I manage." John told her looking back in her direction. "These things, they're evil, I destroy them so they can't hurt anyone else."

"This thing out at our place, what is it?" Danny asked.

"I don't know, but there is something there. I found it in the courtyard today."

"Wait, you've been out there?" Samantha asked.

"Of course, how else am I going to destroy it?"

"And Killer just let you waltz onto the property?" She asked.

"The dog?" John asked, "I have a way with animals."

John hoped the dog was awake by the time the Banditos returned. He didn't really want to tell them he'd drugged their dog.

"No way, that thing is crazy!" Danny said, "It doesn't even like us most of the time. Samantha is the only one it will let near it."

"Whatever," John said. "The thing in the court yard when did it start to manifest?"

"About six years ago. We used to use the court yard for parties, because it was surrounded by the house and kept the cops off our backs, but one day that thing showed up and now no one will go out there," Danny told him.

A new round of beers arrived brought by one of the other bikers who had apparently noted the empty mugs. He took a chair a few feet away and sat silently as they continued their conversation.

"Were you there when it showed up the first time?"

"No, but Samantha was," he replied.

John turned to Samantha and said, "Tell me about the first time it showed up."

"I don't know what the thing is, but I can tell you where it came from," she said. "Like Danny said it was about six years ago and we were having a party out there. About half the people in this room were at the party but by the time the thing showed up most of them were pretty wasted."

John looked around the room many of the bikers were nodding their heads in agreement with her statement.

"Several of the guys had been searching through the building looking for more chairs and things to throw on the bonfire we had going. Billy and David came out carrying this big ugly couch damn thing must have been left from the thirties. The material was worn and faded and the couch itself was almost falling apart, but they figured if it broke when they sat on it they could always add it to the bonfire."

One of the men from the group that was listening said, "Billy and I were wrestling around on it when it broke. The whole side of the couch just broke off."

"You two were being pretty rough," Sally said. "You both had too much to drink by then and were at it again. I swear back then I needed clubs to keep the two of you in line."

John looked around the room everyone, even the bartender was not pay close attention to the conversation at the table.

Sally took a sip of her beer and continued relating the events of that night to John. "Anyway, the side of the couch broke off so the guys decided to toss the whole couch into the fire. When they did it burst into flames and we all heard a loud crack then a dark billowing smoke started to pour from the fire."

"We didn't really think anything of it at first because it looked just like smoke from a fire which was what we had going." Someone else said.

"Yeah, until it started to move around and touch us," one of the female bikers said. "When it did it was creepy. Kind of like a rough wet tongue that ran across the area it touched."

"And it burned, it felt wet, but it burned," someone else said.

"It tried to get me," one of the guys said, "I have never been so scared in my whole life. I started praying hard and it backed away."

Finally, John thought, something he could use. "What prayer did you use?"

The man looked sheepish for a minute then said, "Well, I used to be an alter boy back in the day so I used the first thing that came to mind. I used the Lords prayer."

Cat calls, hooting and laughter erupted in the room as the man in question admitted to being an alter boy. When the din died down John continued his questions. "Did you say it in English?"

"No, Latin."

"Juan, you speak Latin?" Samantha asked him.

"Yeah, I also speak Spanish, French and German."

"It's English he has a problem with!" someone said from the back of the room.

John understood their attempts to lighten the mood so he said nothing about the now constant interruptions. "Did it go away after you said the prayer, or just move away from you."

"It just left me alone and tried to go to Steve, but he backed away from it and I guess he got far enough away that it couldn't follow him. Everybody was freaking out and running, but Sally fell and the thing was on her pretty quick. It surrounded her, engulfed her completely. Then the thing seemed to grow bigger and darker. We could hear Sally screaming, but we couldn't see her anymore."

"Everyone was terrified, but Aaron, he was amazing," one of the girls said. "He ran over to it shouting something we didn't understand and he walked right through the wall of darkness, grabbed Sally and pushed her out the other side."

"Yeah, we're sure he saved her life," Samantha said. "But she was never the same after that."

"And this thing, it couldn't leave the courtyard?" John asked.

"No, actually it can't seem to get much more then ten feet past he bonfire." Aaron said.

"Since that night has it ever happened again?" John asked.

"Never to one of us because we don't go near the courtyard anymore. But twice idiot kids have broken in and got messed up by it. That's why we got the dog so we could keep the kids out." Samantha replied.

"Yeah, but that dog went nuts not long after we got it." Danny told him.

"That's because the dog can sense the entity in the courtyard. Dogs have a very strong ability to sense the supernatural." John told him. "Most animals do."

"So are you going to be able to get rid of it?" Samantha asked John.

"I think so, but I need to come out and do some more digging around in the morning. Then depending on what I find out I may be able to get rid of it tomorrow night."

"Why not do it during the daylight? Seems to me that anything like this would be stronger at night," Aaron said.

"It will be, but I'm going to have to be able to get it to manifest so I can exorcise it."

"Are you a priest?" someone asked.

"Oh God no," John laughed, "I'm the farthest thing from a priest you could, but I was trained by one to do exorcisms."

"Well, if you can get rid of this thing then we'll owe you… again." Samantha told him.

John stayed for a few more hours shooting pool with Samantha and Danny. She discovered that they were actually brother and sister. And at the end of the evening the energetic young lady tried to get John to go home with her but as usual when that happened he politely refused and she left with a smile even though she hadn't even been able to wrangle a kiss from the hunter."

The next morning John drove over to the old hospital and met Samantha and Danny. Aaron joined them as they entered the building and walked out to the court yard. Using a shovel he had brought with him John started digging around in the fire pit. It was mostly ashes, but there were still some unburned wood and other trash in the area.

As he dug he again heard the whispering wind that sounded like voices calling out breathlessly. He continued to dig in the pit keeping the ashes and dirt within a few feet of the original ring of the fire. "Have there been any other bonfires burned here since the one when this thing arrived?" He asked the others who were standing well back from the fire pit.

"No." Samantha said.

"Hell, no one would even come out here." Aaron said. "Samantha and I were the ones that found the two kids and they'd already wandered back into the building."

John's shovel thunked as it hit something solid in the ashes of the fire. He reached down and lifted the item from the pit. It was a stone statue of a man. There was nothing remarkable about the statue other then the crack that ran across the belly of the man. There were no markings or other indications on the statue, but John was sure it's what was used to imprison the thing. It had to be there was nothing else in the pit.

"Well, so much for detailed answers." John said quietly.

"What's that?" Danny asked.

"The cause of the problem," John told him. "It must have been hidden in that old couch until it was tossed on the fire. The fire was hot enough to crack it, but not hot enough to destroy it."

"What would have happened if it had been destroyed?" Danny asked.

"It would have probably released the thing completely, allowing it to move around freely. I think it's still tied to this statue."

"Fine, get rid of the statue." Aaron said.

John grinned at him, "It's not going to be that easy. I'm going to have to destroy the statue, and then exorcise the entity after it's completely release from the stone."

"You just said destroying the statue will release the thing." Samantha said.

"Yeah, but I can't exorcise it while it's still partially imprisoned."

"That does not sound like a good plan John." Aaron said.

"Well it's the only one I've got. Have you got a better idea?"

"Um, we could just bury it in a block of cement."

"Nice though," John said, "but it won't work. You can't seal the crack with cement the thing will still be able to get out."

"Okay, so how do we make sure the thing can't just float away once you break its prison stone?"

"I'll need to make a special pentagram to restrain it while I recite the exorcism."

"A what?" Danny asked.

"A special symbol on the ground to hold the creature so it can't get away. We're going to need to clear the area as much as possible. I'm also going to need a large bag of salt and a sledge hammer."

"Why salt?" Samantha asked.

"Most evil things can't cross salt. It acts like a repellent."

"Okay, so why don't you just put a ring of salt around the fire pit. Why do you need this symbol?"

"Because I'm not sure exactly what I'm dealing with, better to be safe then sorry."

John set the statue back down in the fire pit and together with the other three began preparations for the ritual that he planed on performing that evening.

Late that night John met again with the three that assisted him earlier. He explained in detail the plan for the ritual and was surprised when Aaron told him, "Wait, that's not going to work."

"What's not going to work?" John asked.

"You can't be in the pentagram when you release the thing. The first thing it's going to do when it realizes it can't get away is attack you."

"Aaron, I told you I don't have a choice, the statue has to be broken in order to exorcise the entity."

"Yeah, but you don't have to be the one that breaks it. I'll do it that way you can stay outside the pentagram and complete the ritual."

"It's going to be dangerous in there and you won't be able to leave. If you so much as scuff the pentagram on the ground the thing will get free."

"I know, trust me I don't want to do this, but I'm not seeing another option." Aaron said.

Not for the first time John wished Dean and Sam where with him. If they were here he could enter the pentagram and they could recite the ritual. If something happened to him inside the Pentagram they'd still be able to finish it. If he was inside the pentagram he would not be able to complete the ritual and thing might get away, or worse it might be able to posses him. Aaron was right someone else would need to break the statue.

Seeing no other way John agreed to the change Aaron had suggested.

With everything ready it was time to start the ritual. John looked at Danny and Samantha and said, "No matter what you see or hear, you can not interfere. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Both said nodding and stepping as far away as possible.

John checked the pentagram one more time as Aaron stepped inside of it and picked up the sledge hammer. The statue was lying on its side on a large stone placed in the center of the large pentagram. He picked up the book and looked once more at Aaron. "This thing is going to be stronger once you release it but it should still be affected by the name of God. Use is as much a necessary to keep it off you. Do you remember the name of God in Latin?"

"Criesto." Aaron said nodding.

"Good. I'll do this as fast as I can, you just hold on until I'm done," John told him then said, "When ever you're ready."

Aaron raised the sledge hammer and brought it down hard on the statue. It shattered into dozens of small pieces and John began the ritual immediately. A great cloud of black obsidian appeared over Aaron's head as he looked around expecting the thing to come from the statue itself.

"Above you Aaron," Samantha yelled and started to move forward to help.

Danny grabbed her and shook his head. "We can't. Not yet," he said.

Aaron looked up and his eyes widened in fear he looked at John who was watching the creature and Aaron. The hunter nodded at Aaron who took up began reciting prayers in Latin. The entity swirled angrily around Aaron not touching him, but swirling faster and faster like a dark tornado.

John continued the incantation as the center of the tornado that was the entity got closer and closer to Aaron. Aaron's hair was being whipped around his head ashes joined the entity and mingled with it momentarily before being blown at the man standing in the pentagram. He was blinded by the ashes and couldn't see the stone at the center of the pit rise and come hurtling at him.

Danny saw the stone and yelled, "Aaron Drop!" Praying his friend would react in time.

Aaron heard Danny's call and dropped to the ground. But not fast enough, the stone struck him in the shoulder knocking him back and tumbling him to the ground. He landed part in and part out of the pentagram destroying part of the symbol that was keeping the entity imprisoned while John performed the ritual.

Sensing its freedom the thing darted outside the pentagram and went straight for John. It was stopped from attacking John directly by the words of the ritual, but began picking up things from the ground and hurtling them at John with speed and accuracy.

Danny and Samantha went to Aaron giving the thing a wide berth. Danny picked up the injured biker and carried him away from the thing that was now attacking John.

John saw what happened but didn't stop the ritual. If he so much as paused now the creature would get away. He had to complete the incantation as quickly as possible and the thing seemed to know it. John was suddenly trying to duck flying objects as he read the ritual. He wasn't fast enough to duck them all and several struck home with enough force to cause him to stumble back several steps. A broken wooden chair leg hurtled at him and pierced his shoulder before he could get out of its way.

John dropped the book he was reading from, but continued the last line of the ritual. As the last word passed his lips John looked at the entity and watched as it seemed to implode on itself before shattering into a million dark obsidian molecules that rained down and were seeped into the ground.

John's knees gave way and he sank to the ground as Samantha ran up and caught him.

**A/N I probably should have made this two chapters, but I was having trouble deciding where to split it so I decided to just leave it like it was. I know it was long, but I hope you all enjoyed it. Please read and review! **


	19. The Demon!

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, but I wish I did. It would be so much fun!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Nineteen**

Five days had past since John had left Albuquerque. A few stitches had taken care of the injury to his shoulder. The wound was sore, but healing nicely.

He was in the small town of Van Horn in west Texas. He was investigating the death of a half dozen cattle and he had just finished speaking with the owner of the ranch where the cattle had died. Two nights ago the man had lost six cattle in what he called unusual circumstances.

It had taken John over an hour to get the details from the man. He simply could not believe what had happened was possible. They had all died by having their hearts viciously removed from their chests and none of them had seemed to fight the process. There was no blood in or around the bodies of the cattle and they had died during a freak electrical storm.

The demon was targeting a family here in Van Horn and John needed to find them before the demon struck. The odds were definitely in his favor that he would find them. With a census of just over twenty three thousand people there were less then a thousand families living in the town. To narrow the search down more he decided to start by checking birth records at the local hospital and see if he could determine which children would be six month old this week. Thankfully there was only one hospital in town so Culberson Count Hospital would be his next stop.

Using the guise of a U.S. Marshall he was able to con his way into the medical records department and gain the assistance of a few clerks to help in his search. When they were done he had a list of only six children that had been born during the correct time frame. Thankfully his task was made a little easier because all but two had been born on different days. He would be sleeping during the days this week because his nights would be full watching the homes of the children. How he was going to choose which of the two born on the same day he was supposed to watch was beyond him, but he had a few days to decide.

He also needed a plan to destroy the demon once he found it. He had several exorcism ritual committed to memory, but he didn't think any of them would be strong enough against this thing. Besides, he really wanted to destroy it, not send it back to hell. He would just have to do the best he could with what he had.

John spent the first night outside the home of the first little girl on the list. He spent the night reviewing his notes and listening to the scanner while watching the house. When the sun began to rise he decided the child and her family were safe. After breakfast at a diner close to his motel room John went back to his room and slept for several hours before waking to take up the search again.

He noticed the temperature was not nearly as hot as it had been the day before it was at least fifteen degree's cooler then the previous day. And that was a blessing because this was Texas and one thing about the damn state was that it was always hot in Texas.

He spent the next two nights much the same as the previous one with the same results. He was beginning to get frustrated with the whole thing and the weather wasn't helping his temper. The damn temperature had risen again to over a hundred degree's when yesterday it had held steady at just over eighty degree's.

Then came the night he was worried about. He had to watch two families at the same time and he was very glad this was a small town. The homes of the two children he was watching were only three blocks from each other but if the demon struck while he was at the wrong house it would be impossible for him to get back in time. It was an exhausting and frustrating night ending with the same results as the previous nights.

The demon had not appeared and there was only one family left on the list. That meant the demon would attack tonight and John intended to be there to stop it. After a few hours of sleep and several hours of preparation John was ready to face the demon. He had loaded several guns with the special rounds Caleb had made. They were hollow points made with consecrated iron and holy water. They may not stop the damn thing, but hopefully they would slow it down long enough for John to perform the exorcism.

It was just after dark when John arrived and parked outside the home of the final child on his list. He waited using the time to review the ritual and commit it to memory. The ritual he had chosen was the most powerful one he knew, but it was also the longest one. It would take some time to complete and John could only hope Caleb's new bullets would give him that time.

John was staring intently at the home he'd been watching for the past several hours when he noticed the lights begin to flicker not at the home he'd been watching, but at one two houses down. His eyes darted around the neighborhood revealing that the electrical problem was affecting only that home. A sudden though came to John and he realized he had made a mistake. The child was not born in this town, but lived here now.

John put the truck in gear and drove to the house in question. He jumped out and ran to the front door as flames burst from the upstairs window. Adrenaline added strength to his efforts allowing him to bust the door down and enter the home. He ran up the stairs and found a child about of about six year's old standing at an open door. John picked up the child and quickly checked the other rooms. They were empty. He took the boy downstairs and sent him out the door telling him to go to the neighbor's house while he looked for his parents. The child was scared, but he did what John said.

Smoke was stinging his eyes and the heat was becoming unbearable as John made his way back up the stairs. He pulled his gun as he went to the room that was burning. He knew it was already too late to save the rest of the family, but if he could take out the demon he intended to do it. This was not going to happen to another family if he could help it.

Flames shot from the room as he neared it, but just as suddenly as they appeared they disappeared. Through the smoke and the haze John saw someone standing over the burning crib of the child he was too late to save. The flames danced around him, but did nothing to harm him. Slowly he turned in John's direction a smile crossing his face as his eyes met John's. One look at the yellow eye's of the man standing so still in the fire was all it took to confirm John's worst fears. This was the demon that had taken his wife and tried to take his son. Without further thought John raised the gun and fired twice.

The demon flinched but that was the only reaction it showed. It walked through the flames towards John as he backed away firing again. The flames were now licking the sides of the walls in the hallway where John was backing away from the demon. But as it entered the hall the flames went from mere wisps to blazing inferno almost instantly. The demon took one last look at John and with a flick of its wrist it knocked the gun from his hand and sent him tumbling down the stairs to land in an unconscious heap at the bottom of the stairway.

John's eyes fluttered opened as he groaned. He hurt everywhere. "Son of bitch," he said or tried to say since it was interrupted as a series of coughs wracked his abused body. He tried to sit up but found himself was strapped down unable to move. Panic immediately took hold and he struggled harder to break free of the restraints that held him prone.

"Sir, you need to lay still." Some one said.

John continued to struggle. He did not like restraints of any kind. Realizing his hands were not restrained he reached for the straps holding his chest and began to loosen them.

"Sir, please, we're trying to help you," said the decidedly famine voice as she placed her hand on his stopping him from loosing the straps. "You're in an ambulance."

John realized she was telling the truth. The sound of the siren, though muffled because he was in the ambulance was still loud and he could tell they were moving. John looked at the woman who had spoken. "What happened?"

"Don't you remember?" she asked.

"Fire," he replied weakly. It was getting harder and harder to concentrate. His eyes felt so heavy, but he needed answers.

"Yes, you saved the little boy."

He tried to ask about the boy's parents and sibling, but he could no longer keep his eyes open and his world once again went black.

It wasn't until late the next day that he woke in the hospital and received the answers he was dreading. The remainder of the boy's family had all perished in the fire.

John himself while hurting was relatively fine. He had three broken ribs and a mottling of bruises covering his entire body but other than that he was fine. His phone started ringing and by the time he found it stuffed in a drawer it had rolled over to his voice mail.

He had two missed calls since the fire. One yesterday morning was from Dean and the one he had just missed was from Missouri.

He called his voice mail and listened to the message his son had left.

_Dad. I know I've left you messages before. I don't even know if you get them, but I'm with Sam and we're in Lawrence and there's something in our old house. I don't know if it's the thing that killed mom or not, but… I don't know what to do so whatever you're doing if you could get here… please. I need your help dad._

His eye's filled with tears as he listened to the emotion filled message his son had left. "Oh, Dean, I'm sorry," John said. He knew his son was shaken to the core by what they'd found. The boy was practically begging for his help and Dean did not beg, ever. John was afraid it may be a trap. He needed to get to Lawrence as fast as possible. The message was already more then a day old because he had been unconscious when his son had called.

He pulled out his I.V. and got dressed praying he was not too late.

**A/N Please read and review. Thanks again for taking the time to read this I really enjoy the reviews and I'm glad so many of you like the story!**


	20. Home

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, but I wish I did. It would be so much fun!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Twenty**

It had taken to long to get out of Van Horn. More than two hours had passed since he'd listened to his son's message. One of the damn nurses at the hospital had caught him leaving and an argument had ensued. Within minutes a doctor, two nurses, someone from security and a hospital administrator were there trying to convince him he needed to stay. In the end John had told them all, "I'm leaving now so move the hell out of my way before I make you move." The quiet menace in his voice was enough to convince them all that he was indeed leaving. All of them backed out of his way as he strode past.

Once out of the hospital he had to find his truck which had been towed from the scene of the fire. By the time he was behind the wheel and heading out of Van Horn he was so angry that if anyone else got in his way they would regret it for a very long time.

It wasn't until nearly four hours later while he was driving through Okalahoma that he remembered Missouri's call. Picking up his cell phone he dialed her number. When she answered John said, "Missouri, its John. Did the boys find you?"

"Hold on," she told him. Then speaking to someone else she said, "You boys finish this, I'll be right back."

John knew then that Sam and Dean were with her and the relief that he felt was nearly overwhelming.

"John, you're hurt, where are you?" Missouri asked after a moment.

"I'm fine, I'm on my way, are they okay?"

"You're not fine. You're just too stubborn to realize it. The boys are okay, but they need you. This one is tearing them both up inside."

"What is it Missouri, is it the demon that killed Mary?"

"No."

"How do you know?" John asked.

"John Winchester, don't you think I'd know that evil if I ever felt it again," she replied tersely. "We went to the house it's not the same thing. In fact there is more then one spirit in the house. We're preparing purifying bags now. How far away are you?"

"At least three more hours, I'm in Oklahoma."

"Well, we should be done with the purification by the time you get here. Can I tell them you're coming?"

John thought about it, he wanted to see them. He wanted to explain everything, but he wasn't ready and they were still in danger. Just being so close to them was going to put them in danger, so even though his heart was screaming yes he told Missouri, "No, not yet."

"John…"

"I said no, Missouri," he said quietly, "Please, this is hard enough."

"Fine, you know where the key is in case I'm not here whey you get here."

"Missouri…" John started to say something else, but instead he just said, "Thank you."

Missouri sighed. The Winchester men were so stubborn she could just slap them all. "Be safe John. I'll see you soon," she told him.

She was not home when he arrived at her house and it worried him. It was nearly midnight they should be done by now, something must have gone wrong. A poltergeist could get very nasty if it suspected it was about to be destroyed. John grabbed his keys and opened the door only to find Missouri walking up the steps. She was tired and unless John was mistaken she was limping.

"What happened?" He asked as he helped her with the final few steps and into the house.

"Same thing that always happens. The poltergeist didn't want to leave and it put up a fight."

"Are the boys…"

"They're fine."

"What about you?"

"I'll live."

"Sit down Missouri you look like you hurt. I'll make you some of that famous tea of yours."

Missouri raised an eyebrow at John, "I hurt?"

"John Winchester I can feel the pain radiating from you in waves. How many ribs are broken?"

John grimaced at the question. "Three." As long as he didn't think too much about and didn't make any sudden moves he could keep the pain in the back of his mind. Pain wasn't an issue. Pain he could deal with. Like his sergeant always told him, 'Pain let's you know you're still alive.'

"What did they give you for the pain? It doesn't seem to be helping."

"I didn't stay long enough for them to give me anything."

"Tell me what happened," Missouri said.

"You first," he replied as he prepared her tea and a strong cup of coffee for himself. He also got out her bottle of extra strength Tylenol. They were both going to need it.

She told him in detail of the events that had led up to the purification ritual and then she told him what happened when the attempted the ritual.

"Sam is okay though?" John asked.

"Do you think I'd be sitting here drinking tea with you if there was something wrong with the boy?" Missouri asked.

John looked at her sheepishly, "Sorry."

"There is one more thing you should know. It's about Sam," Missouri said. "That boy, he is a very special child."

"I know." John said.

"No, you don't," she replied, "He has abilities that he hasn't even begun to discover."

"What are you talking about?"

"He as gifts that are going to be so much stronger then mine."

"Wait, are you saying Sammy has psychic abilities?" John asked incredulously.

"Yes."

"How?"

"I don't know. But never the less he has them."

John looked at Missouri. Surely she was mistaken. How could Sam have psychic abilities? But since he had known her Missouri had never been wrong and he had no reason to doubt her now.

"John, tell me what happened in Texas," Missouri requested.

"How did…" John asked startled. He though he'd been doing a good job with his mental block, but evidently he still had some work to do. "Never mind," he said. Then he told her everything that had happened in Van Horn. He left nothing out and in the end when he had to admit to her that he couldn't save the baby or its parents he choked on the words and couldn't get them out.

"Oh John," Missouri said, "It's not your fault."

He knew it wasn't his fault, but he also knew if he had been more prepared he might have been able to save them. If he had taken into consideration that some children in the town may not have been born there or hell, what if they were born at home? He had failed to protect them because he hadn't considered all the possibilities.

He was saved from explaining all this to Missouri when her phone started ringing.

"Hello," she answered.

"Dean? What's wrong baby?"

Missouri listened for a few minutes her eyes widening as she listened. Then she replied, "I'll be right there honey. You and your brother stay put."

She hung up the phone visibly shaken and looked at John.

"Missouri, what is it? Are they okay?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"What happened?" John asked sharply.

"I was wrong," she said. "I thought it was over. I thought we had purified the house."

"What happened?"

"Sam was still worried about the house and the family. They stayed and kept an eye on it from the car, so they were there when it came back."

"Oh shit," John said, "Are they all right?"

"Yes," she said looking at the table. Then she raised her head and looked John in the eyes and told him, "Mary saved them."

John sat back in his chair and paled visibly. Never would he have imagined her reply. "What did you say?"

"Her spirit, she was the other one in the house. She saved them from the poltergeist."

"How?"

"I don't know. I need to go talk to your boys. Are you okay?"

He wanted to tell her no, that he was dying inside because he wasn't there he didn't see her. He didn't help her save their boys. He had failed her again. "Yes," was all he said, but he was sure the rest must have been written all over his face.

"I'm sorry John," she said as she left.

He left just a few minutes after she did, parked the truck a few blocks away from his old house and made his way stealthily forward until he could watch what was happening. They were all inside when he got close enough see. The house was in relatively good shape, but the front door was destroyed. It looked like someone had beaten it down with an ax.

He waited knowing that eventually they would come outside and he would know they were safe. Nearly an hour passed before his patience was rewarded. Dean came out first with a blonde woman who he assumed was owner of the house. He wasn't hurt. His son was carrying a metal footlocker that John vaguely recognized. He placed it in the Impala before opening it and pulling something out and glancing at it.

Sam came out a few minutes later with Missouri. They sat on the steps deep in conversation. He too looked physically fit, but the boy looked so lost, so confused. He wished he knew what they were saying. Later, he would ask Missouri. He waited until they left before returning to the truck and driving back to Missouri's house.

He was sitting on the couch when she walked in and setting her purse and keys down on the table Missouri said, "That boy… He has such powerful abilities. Why he couldn't sense his own father I have no idea."

John stared at his wedding ring twisting it back and forth before asking, "Mary's spirit you really think she saved the boys."

"I do…" she replied then turned to him and said, "John Winchester I could just slap you why don't you go talk to your children."

"You have no idea how much I want to but I can't, not yet," He told her. "Not until I know the truth."

**A/N Once again, thanks for the wonderful reviews! Please read, enjoy and review!**


	21. Decision

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, but I wish I did. It would be so much fun!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Twenty One**

"Those boys are worried about you," Missouri told him. "They think you are hurt or worse."

"I know but it would be too dangerous, if the demon caught us all together..."

"John, they need you, especially after last night. What you are doing to them… it's wrong."

"Their alive," John replied simply.

"And you think that's enough?"

"It has to be… for now." John sighed, "Look Missouri, I promise I'll figure something out. I'll find a way to let them know I'm okay and still keep them safe."

That was all Missouri wanted. She knew that when John said he'd do something he'd do it.

"Missouri… is Mary… Is she still there? Can I see her?" John asked with a pain filled voice.

Missouri sighed. She knew this question was coming and she hated what the answer was going to do to him. "No."

"Why not?" he asked quietly.

"John, I'm sorry. She sacrificed herself when she destroyed the poltergeist."

John said nothing after that, but a single tear slid down his face.

"You need some sleep. The guest room is already made up for you."

John shook his head, "I can't stay."

"John, you're tired. You've been awake for more then twenty four hours and you hurt. I can feel it."

"I can't stay. It's too dangerous."

"You know my home is protected."

"Not good enough. I'm not sure normal protections are going to work with this one Missouri," he said, "I shot it point blank with consecrated rounds filled with holy water. It didn't even flinch. I can't take the chance on you getting hurt. I've been here too long already."

"John…"

"No. I'm leaving," he said standing. He stopped at the door, turned to her and said, "Thank you for taking care of my children Missouri."

She nodded at him and said, "Come back John, when ever you can."

He didn't reply as he walked out the door got in the truck and drove away. Damn she was right though, he was tired. He would need to find a motel soon, but not until he was well away from Lawrence.

He didn't mean to, but before he even realized what he was doing he had put the car in park and stopped in front of his old house. Closing his eyes he whispered, "I'm sorry Mary. I should have been here to protect them; to protect you." He felt his heart breaking all over again. Just like it did when she died and tears rolled down his face unchecked.

Several minutes passed before John raised his head and looked once more at the home he had shared with his wife. She was gone, completely gone this time. She had done what he was trying so hard to do. She had protected their boys with every fiber of her being. He would not fail her again he would make sure the boys stayed safe. He would destroy the demon no matter what the cost to him.

Putting the car in gear he drove out of Lawrence, never wanting to return.

A few hours later he found it necessary to check into a motel and get some much needed sleep. Eight hours later he woke to the ringing of his phone. Checking the caller I.D. he was surprised to see Jefferson's name. He flipped open the phone and said, "Hey Bill, it's been a long time."

"Almost a year John," Jefferson said.

"What's up?"

"I just talked to your boys," Jefferson said, "Caleb told me what's going on, but you should know those boys, they're worried about you."

"I know Bill,"

"You need to talk to them, Sam's ready to call the feds in on the search. I told him to wait a bit, but I'm not sure he's willing."

"Damn. That I do not need right now."

"Yeah, they'd just make things worse. I could call them back and let them know I spoke with you."

"No, that would only hurt them more. I'll take care of it. Thanks Bill."

"Sure thing and John, you need anything, you let me know," Jefferson said before he hung up.

John took a shower then sat down with the laptop to search the web while he considered how to let his children know he was fine while also staying far enough away that they were safe.

"Damn," he said to himself reading one of the stories his search had generated. It involved the Roosevelt Asylum, in Rockford Illinois. Something shady was happening there again. A cop had responded to a call at the asylum then went home and killed his wife and himself. It needed to be checked into before someone else got killed. Unlike place in Albuquerque this one really had been an asylum and it had housed some of the worst of the criminally insane before it had closed it down.

An idea came to John then on how to let his boys know he was okay and still keep them in the clear. Hell they were probably closer to Rockford anyway and this was something he knew they could handle.

Not one to hesitate once he made up his mind John immediately set things in motion. Finding the coordinates for Rockford he picked up his phone and typed a simple text message. All it said was: 42, –89. He sent it to Dean. He would know it was from John and that would ease their minds enough that they didn't call in outside help.

John had found something else in his search that needed to be checked out up in Oregon. The more miles between them when he spoke with them the safer it would be. He smiled at himself. It'd be safer for him too. He had no doubt that if he was too close when they spoke they'd find a way to track him.

**A/N Please read and review.**


	22. A father Son Talk

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, but I wish I did. It would be so much fun!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Twenty Two**

John was in Sacramento when he decided it was time to call his boys. He chose to use a payphone instead of his cell phone. He didn't want to take any chances on a dropped call. His son's were worried enough.

Entering the phone booth John dialed Dean's number and waited patiently for his son to answer. He was only slightly surprised when a sleepy sounding voice answered. "Hello." It was not Dean's voice on the other end of the line.

God it was so good to hear his young son's voice. It had been over four years since he spoke with Sam. "Sam," he asked. "Is that you?"

"Dad," Sam asked him, "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," he told him.

"We've been looking for you everywhere. We didn't know where you were, if you were okay," Sam said.

"Sammy, I'm alright," John reassured his young son. He could hear Dean's voice in the background asking if Sam was speaking to him.

"What about you and Dean?" John asked.

"Were fine," Sam replied.

Then Sam asked the question that John had been dreading because he knew his son's would not like the answer he had to give them. "Dad, where are you?"

"Sorry kiddo I…," John knew this one was going to start one of their famous arguments, but he had no choice. "I can't tell you that."

"What?" Sam demanded, "Why not?"

"Look," John replied, "I know this is hard for you to understand. You, your just you're gonna have to trust me on this."

"You're after it, aren't you?" Sam asked, "The thing that killed mom."

Damn the boy was smart. He hadn't anticipated the conversation going this route, "Yeah, it's a demon Sam."

"A demon," Sam asked. John could hear the pain in his young son's voice as he spoke about the thing that had killed his mother and Jessica. "You know for sure?"

"I do." John told him. "Listen Sammy, I ah, I also know what happened to your girlfriend. I'm so sorry I would have done anything to protect you from that."

"You know where it is?" Sam asked.

He would not tell his son that he didn't know exactly where to find it, but he knew the signs. He didn't have time for more detail so he said, "Yeah, I think I'm finally closing in on it."

"Let us help," Sam asked.

"You can't," John told him. "You can't be any part of it."

"Why not?" Sam demanded.

John understood his son's need to be involved, but there was no way John was going to allow them to help him with this one. "Listen Sammy, that's why I'm calling. You and your brother you've got to stop looking for me." John knew his next statement was going to cause an argument with Sam, but he'd rather have his son's angry with him then dead because of him. "Alright, now I need you to write down these names."

"Names what names dad?" Sam said fury plain now in his voice. "Talk to me, tell me what's going on." John could hear Dean in the background demanding the phone.

"Look we don't have time for this." John raised his voice, "This is bigger than you think. Even us talking like this, it's, it's not safe."

"No!" Sam insisted, "Alright, no way."

John was loosing his patients. He really was afraid of the length of this call and he needed to end it soon. He didn't know if the demons could trace this, but with them any thing was possible. "I've given you an order." He told his son, "Now you stop following me and you do your job, you understand me!"

Dean's voice suddenly came over the phone. He'd taken it from his brother, "Dad… It's me where are you?"

"Dean, I can't tell you that. But listen, you and your brother need to stop trying to find me. It's too dangerous. You need to make sure you do not stay in one place too long. The thing that killed your mom, it's a demon and it's a bad son of bitch. You and your brother need to be careful."

"Yes sir."

"Now, I need you to write down these names, have you got a pen?" John asked.

"Ah, yeah," his son replied, "I've got a pen."

"These are all couples that went missing over the past three years. All off them were on road trips that took them through Indiana and all of them disappeared in the second week of April. You and your brother need to find out what happened to them and stop or another couple is going to go missing soon."

"What are the names?" Dean asked.

John rattled off the names then said, "Dean, you and Sam… be careful. I'll call you when it's safe."

"You too," Dean replied.

When he hung up the phone John sighed. That didn't go nearly as well as he'd planned. But Dean would do what he asked and he would make sure Sam did too. John had made sure Dean knew how dangerous the situation was. He already regretted the argument with his youngest son, but he had no idea how he could have handled the situation any differently.

John returned to the truck and continued his journey. Until the demon made its next move there was nothing John could do about it. So, for now, he'd take care of anything else he could find. Right now he was on his way to Cannon Beach, Oregon to look into something the locals have taken to calling Bandage Man.

During John's last internet search he'd read the story of a high school student who died on the same stretch of road as the previous incident. While the police are not giving any credence what-so-ever to the Bandage Man the young lady who was with him insists it was the creature that killed the boy.

**A/N I realize most of this chapter was straight out of the series, but it was such an important part of the show I couldn't leave it out. I hope you enjoy the slight enhancements to John's side of things. Also, in case some of you haven't noticed the things that I'm sending John hunting are actual Urban Legends, so it takes me a bit longer to post the chapter when I have to research the legend first. Therefore, don't be surprised if the next post takes an extra day. Thanks again for reading and please review! **


	23. Annie

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural. (_sigh!)_

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Twenty Three**

It was well after dark and for the second day in a row John was slowly cruising down the old Highway 101 feeder road that was supposed to be the hunting grounds for the Bandage Man. The road was all twists and turns. He could imagine it would be a scary drive at anything over thirty miles an hour. Even that slow some of the turns would be dangerous.

Coming out of one of those hairpin turns John was thankful that he'd been driving so slowly. Parked half off, half on the road was a Black 1964 Mustang convertible. Its emergency flashers were on and the trunk was open.

John parked behind the car and got out to help. At first he thought the occupant of the car seemed to be missing, but then he heard her from the other side of the car. "Damn it!" she said as he heard something metal strike the ground. "Well, are you gonna help or just stand over there?" she told him.

John grinned and walked around to the passenger side of the car. Whatever he had been expecting it wasn't what he found when he got to there. Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined the young lady that knelt beside the car. She was shaking the fingers she had just bumped when the tire iron slipped from the lug nut as she attempted to change the flat tire on the front of the car.

As she stood up John got a better look at her. She was almost as tall as he was and if he had to guess her age he'd say it was somewhere in between the ages of his sons. John could not help but stare at her.

Her hair was jet black which helped to enhance the fact that she was wearing black lipstick and eye makeup. She was dressed in all black wearing Jeans that defined the term painted on. Her black shirt, if you could call it a shirt, was a low cut nearly exposing her ample breasts. It went down to just above her belly button which was decorated with a bright red stud. Just inside her left hip at her tiny waist was a small tattoo of a single long stem red rose. She was wearing four inch spike heeled boots which added to her already considerable height. Her hands were decorated with long black finger nails and many silver rings. Her arms had several bracelets' including a thick studded one on her left arm. A studded dog collar decorated her neck and what looked like a dozen earrings alternating in diamond and ruby studs proceeded up from the lobe to the top of each ear.

John didn't realize he was staring until she said, "Look Pops, if you're gonna help I'd really appreciate it, but if your not then please stop staring at my tits."

John blushed even though he hadn't been staring at her chest. It's just that she had surprised him and few people ever did that. "I'm sorry," he told her then held out his hand for the tire iron and said, "here, let me get that."

He bent down and began to loosen the lug nuts. He winced as sharp pains in his side reminded him that his broken ribs were far from healed.

"Come on pops it ain't that hard," she told him with a smirk.

"It's John, not pops," he told her glad his boys weren't around to hear this.

"What ever," she replied, "I'm Annie."

"You know these roads can be dangerous at night," John told her as he worked.

"Ya think?" She smirked then continued, "Since this is the road where the dreaded Bandage Man appears?"

"Bandage Man?" John asked feinting ignorance.

"Not from around here are you?"

"Nope," he replied.

"It's just an urban legend about some crazy dude in a mummy suit that attacks people and dogs and kills them."

"A mummy?" John asked, "Couldn't they come up with something more original?"

She laughed at him and he decided that despite her appearance and demeanor he liked the girl.

He had finished tightening the lug nuts and was lifting the flat tire into the trunk for her and trying not to wince as the pain increased in his ribs. Changing tires was not on the list of things you should be doing with three broken ribs.

The girl was beside him carrying the jack and tire tool. She put the jack in the car and was about to put the tire tool in with it when she suddenly stopped and gripped the tool with both hands. Her wide eyes were looking past John at something behind him, but before he could turn to see what it was something struck him hard on the side where his broken ribs already ached and sent him sprawling into the front grill of his truck.

The smell of rotting flesh assailed him as the creature pinned his back against the truck and began beating him in the body with blood soaked bandaged hands. Trying to protect his injured ribs John had little chance to fight back until to his utter surprise he saw Annie strike the creature on the side of the head with the tire iron.

"Get off him you ugly son of bitch!" she yelled at it as she struck it repeatedly. The creature turned to Annie and lumbered towards her as she backed up saying, "Oh shit." She looked over at him raised her arms and said, "A little help here John."

John was already reaching for his .45 and before it got anywhere near Annie he opened up and emptied a full clip into its rotting flesh even though he knew it wouldn't kill it. He needed a machete or better yet something he could burn it with.

Annie watched wide eyed as John emptied his gun into the thing approaching her. The bullets had no effect at all on it and she was beginning to get worried thinking maybe she'd bit off a bit more then she could chew this time. When John ran out of bullet Annie decided it was time to attack again. She raised the tire iron and stepped forward to strike the creature on the face. She got in two good shots before it grabbed the tire tool out of hand and before she could back up it took a swing that connected with the side of her head.

Seeing Annie go down John decided play time was over. He ran forward and jumped on the smelly creatures back. Then, with all of the strength he could muster John twisted the things head until he heard an audible snap. The creature swayed to one side and fell bringing them both crashing down hard on the cement.

With the wind knocked out him from the fall it took John a few seconds to gain his feet. He looked at the creature which was trying to stand, but having difficulties due to its head lying sideways on its shoulder. Glancing at Annie John saw she was unconscious on the ground several yards from the creature. He ran to the back of her car, grabbed an emergency road flare, walked up to the fumbling creature lit it and tossed it on the thing.

As the creature burned John went to check on Annie. She was just beginning to groan her way back to consciousness when John reached her. "Annie," he said, "Wake up honey." Blood soaked the side of her head and she had yet to open her eyes, but she was trying and that was a good sign. "Come on Annie, wake up," he persisted.

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around dazedly before they closed again. "Come on Annie you can do it. Wake up sweet heart."

Her eyes were still closed but quietly she asked, "Are you coming on to me pops?" Then her eyes opened and she looked at John. "Because, you really are good looking, but you're like my dad's age and that would be just too gross."

John grinned at her, "Don't worry honey, your safe from me," he told her, "But if you ever meet my son I make no promises for him."

"You have a son?" she asked hopefully.

"Two actually," John told her and picked her up. He carried her to his truck deciding they'd have to come back for her car. "Come on let's get you to the hospital."

"No!" She said, fear plain in her voice. "I can't go to the hospital."

"Honey, you have a concussion and you're going to need stitches. In case you haven't noticed it you're bleeding profusely all over my shirt."

She struggled in his arms attempting to get away from him, but a sudden bought dizziness caused her to settle down. "Please, no hospitals. He'll find me. Can't you just put a bandage or something on it?"

"Who'll find you?" John asked.

"No one, I shouldn't have said that. Please, just no hospitals," she pleaded.

"Fine," John said, "Are you okay coming back to my motel room so I can clean and bandage it properly? I promise I won't hurt you."

"Yes, let's do that."

"Okay, are you going to be alright for a minute a need to check on the mummy thing?"

"Oh God, I forgot about it. Where is it?" she asked looking around.

"What's left of it is burning in the middle of the street." John replied and went to check on it. The creature had burned to a pile of ashes which John spread around the road before going back to the truck.

"What about my car?" Annie asked.

"We'll come back for it when you're ready. It wouldn't be safe for you to drive right now."

Annie closed her eyes as a wave of dizziness rushed her. "I think you're right Pops," she said just before she passed out again.

**A/N Well, that didn't take nearly as long as I thought that it would. Of course that had a lot to do with how much fun I had writing it. In fact it practically wrote itself once I got started! Please read and review.**


	24. Pops!

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, but I wish I did. It would be so much fun!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Twenty Four**

The motel was only a ten minute drive from where they'd been. John carried the unconscious girl into the room and laid her on the bed farthest from the door. The one that normally would have been his son's bed.

He got the first aid kit and a few towels and began cleaning Annie's wound. The cut was high up by her hair line and as he cleaned it John was shocked to find the black hair she was sporting was a very well made wig. He removed the wig and discovered the hair beneath it was a pale blonde almost white in its blondeness.

Annie was still unconscious when John finished his ministrations. It had taken six stitches to close the wound on her head. She was also now sporting a good size lump that would need to be iced down so John retrieved some ice from the motel's machine, made an ice pack and placed it on her head to help reduce the swelling. John removed her boots and the collar around her neck. Then he covered her with the blanket before seeing to his own needs.

Removing his shirt which was covered in Annie's blood John tossed it aside. After removing the bandage that he had wrapped around his ribs he looked in the mirror. He could see new bruising appearing where the old had nearly faded away. He'd been lucky, he knew that. Any one of the blows the creature had struck could have caused his ribs much more serious harm. If Annie hadn't distracted the thing it would have done a lot more damage.

John glanced at the girl sleeping in the other bed. She had been amazing out there tonight. He knew she'd been scared, but she didn't let her fear stop her from acting to save him. Most people would have just run away but instead she had attacked the thing. He would never forget the sight of the young girl's scared face as she bravely struck the creature with the tire tool. She reminded John a lot of his son. She certainly had his way with words!

After rewrapping his ribs John put on a new shirt then checked to be sure Annie was still asleep. He repositioned the make shift ice pack before grabbing her keys. It didn't take him long to hike back to where he'd left her car and return to the motel room. The girl was still sleeping when John returned. He checked the salt lines, removed his boots and lay down fully clothed on his bed.

John looked at Annie once more before closing his eyes. The girl was brave and scared and she needed his help. John drifted slowly off to sleep wondering what or who she was running from and the best way to help the girl.

Quiet moans woke him a few hours later. He got up and went to Annie's side. He removed the now useless ice pack and checked her injury. The swelling had gone down some, but it would help if she'd wake up long enough of to take some Tylenol. Gently he coaxed her to wake until finally her eyes fluttered open. "Welcome back," he told her.

Her eye's widened for a moment in fear then the event's of the evening returned as a wave of pain raced through her head. "I hurt," she said reaching for her head. Touching the area where she'd been struck she realized that he had already fixed her up.

"I imagine so," John said. "That was quite a blow you took. It took six stitches to close the wound."

"Only six?" she said trying to sit up. A wave of dizziness sent her back to the pillows squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to stop the spinning. "Oh damn! Not a good idea."

John shook his head at her language. "Dizzy?"

"Um, yeah pops," she said sarcastically.

"I really wish you'd quit calling me that," he grumbled at her. "Think you can take a few pills?"

"As long as it will make this headache go away I'll do what ever you want."

John got a glass of water and the Tylenol. He sat on the edge of her bed and helped her sit up. She swallowed the pills and most of the water before lying back down.

"Annie," John asked, "What did you mean when you said 'he'll find you' who's after you."

"Nothing," she said. "It's just… someone I don't want to find me."

"Sweetheart, if you're trying to hide from someone you'll need to be a bit more inconspicuous."

"No, my daddy told me once. If you want to hide something, hide it in plain sight."

"I'm not sure he had you in mind when he told you that," John explained.

"Probably not she conceded, but its working so far. If you had met me six months ago you would not have recognized me. I'm a computer programmer not some Goth biker chick. Six months ago I hardly left my apartment in Chicago. Since then I have traveled in eleven states not staying more than a week at any one place."

"You've been running from this person for six months? Who is it?"

She closed her eyes and replied, "Someone I used to care a lot about."

"An old boyfriend?" he asked.

"Ex-fiancé." She replied sleepily. The Tylenol was finally kicking in and helping to reduce the pain in her head.

"Annie, I may be able to help you, if you'll give me some more information."

"No, he won't hurt me. He can't, I made sure," she said as she drifted off to sleep.

John woke early the next morning. Annie was still sleeping, but she was restless and John knew that she'd wake soon. He went to her car, grabbed her suitcase and overnight bag out of the trunk and brought them inside. By the time he came in she was sitting up holding her head.

"Have you got anymore of that Tylenol?" She practically groaned.

John gave them to her with a glass of water. "Annie, I've been thinking."

"Oh, now that sounds dangerous," she complained.

John grinned at her and replied, "You could probably use some help hiding from this guy right. At least so your not alone all the time."

"Um Pops, I'm not sure exactly where this is going, but we are not… we can't…"

"No," John denied, "It's nothing like that, let me finish."

"Sorry."

"I was thinking that since you've already got the look, maybe you could stay with some friends of mine."

"You have friends who dress like I do?"

"Yes, and I know they'd be willing to help you out."

"Who are they?"

"The Banditos Motorcycle Club," he told her.

"A biker gang?" she said. You want to hook me up with a biker gang?"

"Yes. I trust them and more importantly I think you'd fit right in, maybe even make a few friends."

She laughed at him, "You're crazy John, has anyone ever told you that?"

"You would be surprised. But I still think it's a good idea, unless you want me to take care of the problem for you."

She paled visibly at his words, "You can't kill him."

"Who said anything about killing him? I could just scare the hell out of him."

Shaking her head she told him, "I need a shower and then we can go get my car."

"Take your shower, but the car is outside. I got it last night while you were napping. But we could go get a bite to eat."

While Annie showered John called Samantha and spoke with her. She agreed to take Annie into their compound. Her people would protect the girl he was sure of it and he really thought Annie would like it.

When he hung up with Samantha he began his daily internet searches. His first search was always for house fires, he also searched daily for cattle mutilations and suspicious deaths. Nothing of interest popped up for his first two searches but he found another unusual death up in the small community in Nebraska that he'd been watching for the past several months.

There was something wrong up there, but he couldn't quite put his finger on the problem. He decided it was time to visit Nebraska and see if he could start putting this together.

After spending an hour trying to convince her that she should at least meet with Samantha and The Banditios Annie finally agreed to go to New Mexico. John gave her directions and phone numbers, his included. And after a promise to keep in touch with him she left on her long journey south.

He watched her drive away until she was out of sight, then got in the truck and headed to Nebraska.

**A/N Please read and review**


	25. Faith

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, but I wish I did. It would be so much fun!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Twenty Five**

John arrived in Ford City Nebraska and started looking into the suspicious deaths that had attracted his attention to the small town. Six people had died. Their deaths were not necessarily strange. What made them strange was that they all died suddenly with no indication of illness prior to death.

Less then a day after he arrived John found The Church of Roy LeGrange a faith healer. On the surface he seemed like the real thing, miraculously healing the terminally ill people who came to him. But not everything was what it seemed. John discovered that for each person that the LeGrange had healed someone else had died of the exact same thing that was killing the person he healed.

What John didn't know and was having trouble discovering was how the man was doing it. How was he transferring the illness and why?

John was sitting in his motel room reviewing the notes he'd made on LeGrange and his miracle cures when his cell phone rang. The caller I.D. told him it was Joshua so he flipped the phone open and said, "Hey Josh, it's been awhile."

"I know John," Joshua said. "But, listen this isn't just a social call. I have some news and you aren't going to like it."

"What is it?" he asked.

"It's Dean," Josh said. "He got hurt during their last hunt."

John's heart thumped loudly in his chest. "No," he whispered. Then what Josh had said clicked he said hurt, not dead. With quiet intensity he asked, "How bad?"

"It's bad John," Josh said. "It's his heart."

"What do you mean?"

"He had a heart attack,"

"That's not possible," John replied. "He's only twenty seven. The boy's got a stronger heart than me." Dean's birthday was just a few days ago. He'd just turned twenty seven this week.

"He got hit with a hundred thousand volts from a Tazer gun. It triggered a massive heart attack."

John sagged in his seat. With a shock of a hundred thousand volts the boy was lucky to be alive now. "What are the doctors saying?"

"John…"

"What did they say Joshua," John demanded as his friend hesitated.

"They said there was nothing they could do. They gave him a few weeks, maybe a month before his heart gives out on him."

"No," John denied. "There's got to be something they can do."

"There's not John. You need to go see him now, while you can."

"No…" John said. "I'm not going to let this happen."

"John…"

"I said no. Not after all this. He is not going to die, I won't allow it." John told his friend fiercely.

"How are you going to stop it?" Joshua said, "You are not a miracle worker."

John was about reply with a rude retort when Josh's words sunk in. He looked down at the research he'd been doing. Hope sprang into his heart and he told his friend, "Listen Josh I've been working a case up here in Ford City Nebraska. A faith healer up here is curing terminal illnesses." John took a deep breath before continuing. "I want you to call Sammy back. Tell him about the man. Do whatever you have to but make sure he brings his brother up here."

"Wait John," Josh asked suspiciously. "Why would you be looking into something like that? There's nothing evil in healing people."

John didn't reply. He knew what the cost would be to heal his son, but it didn't matter, nothing mattered but saving his boy. This man LeGrange was going to fix up his son or John was going to make him wish he'd never been born. He and his son's have been hunting and killing every evil son of bitch they could find to save other people. This time they were going to get something in return. This time they were going to save Dean.

"John…"

"Just do it Joshua."

"You're sure?"

"Dean is not going to die Joshua. I won't let him."

Joshua sighed. He knew there was no changing John's mind and the truth was he really didn't think he should. John and his boys have been through so much. "Should I tell them you're there?"

"No, just send them," John said. "Make sure Sam knows that Dean will not come if he thinks he's coming to see a faith healer. Tell him… tell him to tell Dean he's taking him to see a specialist."

"John," Joshua said, "I'm not sure about this."

"I am," John said firmly. "Please Josh, I won't loose him.. I can't."

"Alright John," Joshua said. "I'll get them there."

"Thanks."

John flipped the phone closed and tossed it down on the bed. He put his head in his hands. "You can't have him," he said furiously to no one. "It's not his time. I won't let it be."

John left the room and walked few blocks to a local roadhouse. He wanted to get drunk. He wanted to get into a bar room brawl. He wanted to beat the living shit out of something. He didn't do any of those things. Instead he sat quietly in the corner booth thought of nothing and everything. He drank a single beer before returning to his room.

His phone was on the bed where he'd left it. The digital display indicated he had one missed call and one voice message. He called his voice mail and listened to the message. It was from Sam.

_Hey dad, it's Sam ah… You probably won't get this but ah… It's dean he's sick and ah… the doctors say there's nothing they can do. Um, but ah they don't know the things that we know right um… So don't worry cause I'm gonna do whatever it takes to get him better. Alright, I just wanted you to know._

John could hear the tears in his son's voice. He knew Sam was devastated over what was happening to Dean, but he also knew that Sam would do what ever it took to make his brother well again.

Joshua called him back the next day and told him that Sam and Dean were on their way. They should be in Ford City sometime the following day.

John spent the next few days trying to find out how LeGrange was saving some people and killing others but he kept coming up empty. He knew the man wasn't possessed. He had gone to two of the man's sermons since arriving. The man was an ordained reverend and he spoke the Lords prayer in both English and Latin. There was no way that he possessed. John suspected that something was using the reverend he just wasn't sure how.

John also interviewed two of the people the reverend had healed. Both were now in perfect physical shape with no negative side effects. They had nothing but wonderful things to say about LeGrange. He didn't blame them the man had literally saved their lives and they did not know of the price that was paid to do so.

His boys arrived in time for the sermon the next day. John was already inside saving two seats at the front of the tent and keeping an eye on the entrance awaiting their arrival. He heard them before they came inside Dean was talking to a woman. He could hear him flirting with her. John smiled, trust his son to be picking up the girls while he sits at deaths door.

When they came in John was shocked at his oldest son's appearance. The boy looked weak like it was draining his energy just standing up and walking. His eyes were rid rimmed not from crying, but from exhaustion. John almost stepped towards them. He almost revealed himself, but at the last second caution over road the need for physical contact with his sons.

He was dressed in a long overcoat with the collar turned up. It hid him well. He stepped into the isle and left the two seats he'd been saving. Ducking his head away from his son's he walked past brushing Sam on the way by. Dean attempted to take a seat at the back of the room but Sam saw the two empty seats John had just left and makes his brother follow him up front. John took a seat at the back corner of the tent and watched his children. He would have a chat with the reverend after the sermon and make sure the man healed his son.

LeGrange began his sermon. Preaching about the good and the corrupt, about how the Lord punishes the corrupt. That's when John figures out how the victims are being chosen. He knew one of them was an abortionist and another was a criminal.

LeGrange was saying something about the Lord helping him to choose those he healed when John heard Dean say, "Yeah, that or their wallets."

LeGrange heard what Dean said and replied, "You think so young man?"

John cringed. If Dean messed up his only chance to be healed because of his wise crack John would kill him himself!

"Sorry," Dean said abashed.

"No don't be," LeGrange said, "Just watch what you say around a blind man we've got real sharp ears." The people in the congregation laughed and Dean tried to sink further into his chair. "What's your name son?" the reverend asked Dean.

His son looked around a second before answering, "Dean."

"I... I want you to come up here with me." LeGrange told him.

Dean hesitated then said, "No, its okay."

John put his head in his hands praying his son did not blow this opportunity.

Then he heard Sam ask, "What are you doing?"

LeGrange can't see Dean, but he turns his head to where he'd heard Dean's voice and asks, "You've come here to be healed haven't ya?"

Dean looks around again and John knows he is checking out all the other sick and dying people in the tent. "Well yeah," he answers, "But ah… a maybe you should just pick someone else."

LeGrange chuckles and says, "I didn't pick you Dean, the Lord did."

John was about to go to his son and tell him to get his ass up on the stage when he heard Sam tell his brother, "Get up there!"

Very reluctantly Dean makes his way to the stage. He looks out at the congregation and John ducks his head behind the people in front of him.

LeGrange looks at Dean and asks, "You ready?"

Dean, his hands tucked into his pockets looks like a lost child up on stage. He turned to the reverend and said, "Look no disrespect by I'm not exactly a believer."

LeGrange stared at Dean with unseeing eyes and replied, "You will be, you will be." Then he turned to the congregation and said, "Pray with me friends."

For the first time in a very long time John bowed his head in prayer. He didn't see when LaGrange puts hand on Dean's head, but at the started sounds from the congregation he looked up in time to see Dean sink to his knees and pass out. It took all of his determination not to rush the stage but to sit back and watch.

Sam however wasn't nearly as restrained as John, "Dean!" he shouted running to his brother and taking him in his arms. "Say something."

It only took moments, but to John it seemed like hours then Dean woke. John watched as his son looked in the direction of LeGrange, but not at him. It was as though he was seeing something beside LeGrange. Something only he could see.

"Dean," Sam asked his brother. "How do you feel?"

Dean had an intense look on his face as he looked from LeGrange to the empty space next to the man. But his brother was insistent and Dean always had a hard time refusing Sam. "I'm fine. I feel fine Sammy,"

"Did it work?"

Dean was distracted he kept looking for something that wasn't there but he replied, "Yeah Sammy, I think it did."

That was all John needed to hear and as he left the tent unshed tears of pure joy filled his eyes. He called Joshua as soon as he got in the truck and told him that Dean had been healed. He didn't tell Josh of the consequences. He didn't tell him that someone else had just died so that his son could live.

The next morning John read in the paper about Marshall Hall, the man who had died. He was a teacher. The fact that he was an openly gay rights activist is probably what put him on LeGrange's death list.

John went to the place where the man had died to find out everything he could about the man's death. When he arrived at the swimming club where the man had died he was totally shocked to find Sammy was there. He didn't know how, but if Sam was here then his boys had some how figured out what was happening and were looking into it.

He went back to his motel room to decide what to do. This was going to get a bit dicey now that Dean and Sam were also on the case. He couldn't just go and ask the same questions his son's had asked someone was going to get suspicious. Then it came to him. He knew how to get the information he needed. He knew exactly how to get it.

The next day he watched their room and waited until they left. When he was sure they were gone he picked the lock and entered his son's room to look around. It didn't take long all their notes were on the table and Sam's laptop was opened and on.

"Son of bitch," John said to himself as he glanced at the notes. "A reaper." He had not even suspected a reaper, but it made sense. A reaper could give and take life at will. But to control one that was some seriously black magic. You would have to be a complete fool to try and control a reaper. He knew now what his son had seen when he was lying on the stage, it had been the reaper.

John left Ford City that night. He knew his son's would finish the job. Once they knew it was a reaper all they had to do was find the alter and destroy it. He had complete confidence in his son's ability to complete the job.

**A/N Please read and review.**


	26. Ambush

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Twenty Six**

John left Ford City and headed to Blue Earth Minnesota. He needed to talk to Pastor Jim, get him to help find a way to do something for Marshall Hall's family. John knew it wasn't his fault the man had died, not really. He knew he could not have stopped it from happening, but he did take advantage of the man's death. He had used Marshall Hall's death for his own benefit even though he knew it wasn't necessarily right.

John stopped before dark the first night and this time he really did get drunk. Across the street from the motel he'd chosen was a roadhouse that served meals and drinks and had the added benefit of several pool tables a dance floor and two card tables. After eating a good meal John spent the remainder of the night at the pool tables winning enough money to tide him over for a while even though he had drank more then his fair share from the bar.

He woke up late the next day with a nasty hangover and after a long hot shower and several pain killers he packed his bags and stepped outside to get in the truck. The attack came from the left the moment he crossed the salt line. Something smashed powerfully into the side of his head sending him spiraling into darkness.

He knew he was in trouble even before he opened his eyes. He was gagged, his hands were tied behind his back and his feet were also bound. He suspected he was in the back of his own truck under the canopy cover. He had no idea where they were taking him but he was sure as hell not going to let them succeed. They had taken all the weapons they'd been able to find on him but John had a few that were hidden well enough that he doubted they had found them all.

Poor circulation due to the ropes around his wrists made his fingers numb and the job of getting out the small stiletto he kept hidden at the inside of his belt a difficult task. It took a frustratingly long time but finally he was able to remove the knife and make quick work of the ropes around his wrists and ankles. After removing the gag he quickly searched the back of the truck and found the weapons duffle he had when he left the hotel room. The fools had put it and his overnight bag in the back of the truck with him.

The ride in the the truck turned from relatively smooth to very rough and John suspected they were nearing their destination. He quickly dug out a pair of .45 caliber Smith and Wesson hand guns. He reached in once more and pulled out a wicked looking knife which he slipped into the empty sheath in his boot. Pocketing the guns he began carefully removing the trucks cover.

Unsnapping the vinyl cover John prepared to exit the truck bed as soon as the vehicle slowed enough for him to safely jump from it. He had no idea how many of the enemy he faced, but judging by past number he new it was going to be more then one. He also knew they had to have at least one more vehicle and all he could do was hope it was in front of the truck and not behind it. If it wasn't this could very well turn out to be a short lived escape plan.

Finally the truck began to slow. John raised the cover and sprang from the truck. They were traveling on a dirt road or driveway and he rolled away from the road heading into the high grass and brush that lined the road. He heard the truck grind to a stop on the gravel road and knew he hadn't escaped unnoticed.

The doors of the truck slammed and heard one of his captor's say, "I told you we should have drugged him when we tossed him in there."

"We couldn't," said a second voice. "You hit him too hard. It could have killed him to give him the drugs."

"So what?" replied the first voice, "These three have caused us enough trouble we should just kill him and get it over with."

"He doesn't want this one dead. He has other plans for him and if we don't get him back he is going to be angry when he gets here."

"He should have come as soon as we told him we had him."

"He's busy in Pennsylvania. He'll be here in a few days and we need to have this guy prepared for him when he gets here. He wants this one bad."

A car pulled up behind the truck and John decided it was time to go as two more people exited the vehicle. Quickly but silently he crawled further into the brush until he felt safe enough to get to his feet. Once he was on his feet it was much easier to maneuver through the brush. John wasn't trying to leave the area yet, just put some distance between him and his pursuers.

The men had fanned out to make searching easier and this suited John perfectly. They were either stupid or uniformed of John's former career in the marines. Once he felt he had a comfortable lead on the men he began to leave a trail to that they should be able to follow. He found a small ravine with a creek winding though it and left an obvious trail sliding down into it and leading downstream.

He came out of the ravine just a few feet from where he went in but left no trail this time. He circled around coming at the men from the left flank. He was taking no chances this time and while he didn't like doing it he decided he had no choice. He would have to use lethal force this time. He didn't waste time once he made the decision instead he set about ensuring his continued freedom and the safety of his children.

John caught sight of the man on the left flank and pulled the knife from the sheath in his boot. Silently he slipped up behind the man and using his left hand to cover the man's mouth and hold him still John quickly sliced the mans throat. He held the man until he quit thrashing and quietly lowered him to the ground.

He moved to the next man in the line and treated him the same way, but before he could make it to the next man they were heading down into the gully. Pulling out his gun John shot them both in the head. It was messy, but it was quick.

John cleaned up the area before he left leaving as little trace as possible for anyone who might come looking for the men he had killed. He put the all four men in the trunk. It was a tight fit, but they didn't care. He had only intended to drive the car further down the dirt road and then into the woods but upon finding a large pond he decided to push the car into it and watched as it sunk beneath the surface.

After taking a few minutes to clean himself up and change clothes John got in the truck and left the area. It didn't take him long to find a main road figure out where he was. Once he did he planned out the rout he would take. The trip to Pastor Jim's would have to wait. The demon he was hunting was somewhere Pennsylvania and he intended to find it.

**A/N Again I would like to thank all my loyal readers for your wonderful comments! I apologize for taking so long to post this chapter but I had to make an unexpected trip to West Palm Beach Florida. I'll be here for a while, but I do have web access so I'll try and keep up my posts. Thanks again for taking the time to read and please review!**


	27. Fire

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

Hunted

John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons.

****

Chapter Twenty Seven

John had no real idea where he was going other then somewhere in Pennsylvania. He needed more information but was afraid if he took time to stop and research it he would arrive too late. As it was he was going to be pushing it just to make it there before the demon struck. He needed help with the research for this one so he called Bobby.

"Hey John," Bobby answered. "Good to hear from you."

"Bobby, I need some help."

Bobby was silent for a few seconds. Something was wrong, John Winchester did not ask for help. "Where are you, I'll get there as fast as I can."

"Thanks, but not that kind of help," John replied. "I'm on my way to Pennsylvania. The demon is there."

"What do you need," Bobby asked.

"Pennsylvania is a big state. I need you to narrow down the search area for me. Look for reports of cattle deaths and electrical storms."

"You got it. I'll call you back as soon as I have something."

"Thanks Bobby," John said and flipped the phone closed and pressed down on the gas. This was going to be close, even with Bobby doing the research while he drove. The demon had one hell of a head start on this one. If he was going to be able to meet the ones John had killed in a few days then John would have a very limited time to find the possible families.

Bobby called back less then an hour later. "Portersville," he told John. "Six cattle had their hearts ripped out during an electrical storm."

"Where is it?" John asked.

"About 40 miles north of Pittsburgh on I-79 near US 422," Bobby replied.

John pulled out his map as he drove and found the town on it. "Okay, I got it. Tell me what you can about the town." He asked knowing his friend would have done as much digging as possible. He knew what John was after and he knew the signs.

"Portersville is a very small town John, the population is less then 300 people. They don't have any medical facilities but three surrounding towns do."

"Damn," John said, knowing that was going to make his search more difficult. There was no way he was going to have time to get records from three different hospitals.

"Does Portersville have a newspaper?" John asked. If they did he could check the listings for births in the area.

"Not that I could find," Bobby replied. "I'm sorry John there just isn't that much online about the town. I did find something else though."

"What?" John asked.

"I don't think it has anything to do with the demon John, but when you're done with that you may want to check out the McConnells Mill State Park," Bobby told him. "They're having a few problems out there. Our kind of problems."

"Bobby…"

"I know John, but if have time when you're done you can save me the trip," Bobby told him, then asked. "How did you find out the demon was going to be in Pennsylvania?"

"They tried again. I heard them talking before I took them out."

"You okay?"

"I'll survive," John told him.

"How many were there this time?"

"Four."

"Damn John," Bobby said. "One of these times they are going to succeed. You need help. Call your boys to back you up."

"No," John said grimly. "I will not have them involved in this, it's too dangerous."

"John, they're already involved."

"No." John replied quietly.

"Okay John," Bobby replied. "Just… be more careful will you?"

"Bobby…," John said. "Thanks, I owe you."

Bobby laughed, "Just remember you said that John," he told his friend before hanging up.

Despite his anxiety about the demon John grinned when he flipped the phone closed.

It was well after dark when John arrived in Plantersville. Bobby was right it was a small town. A post office, a diner a small grocery store and a gas station were the only businesses he found. John stopped at the diner. In a town this small the diner would be the hub of the local community. If he was going to find out anything this would be the place.

He entered the diner and found it was larger then he expected. There were half a dozen booths lining the walls on the left and right sides of the room. Square wooden tables were checkered across the center of the room leaving a wide berth for walking room between them.

For such a small town the diner was busier then he would have expected especially so late at night. But he noticed that the diner also sold beer and wine making it not only the only place to eat, but the nearest bar too. John sat at the table in the centermost part of the room and listened to the buzz of people talking. From the snippets of conversation that he was able hear most people seemed to be talking about the dead cattle.

The waitress, an elderly woman, came over, handed him a menu and asked, "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Coffee please," John said. He had no interest in beer tonight.

As the waitress left he pulled a photo out of his wallet. He had decided to use it to try and get the information he needed. It was a picture of Dean at age four holding the newborn Sammy in his arms. He remembered the day the picture had been taken. It was the day Sammy came home from the hospital. Dean had been so excited he and Mary had a hard time getting him settled down enough to safely hold his brother. He was staring at the picture with a genuine smile on his face when the waitress returned with his coffee.

"What adorable children!" she said.

"Thank you," John replied, then spun the tale he'd decided on. "There grown now, but I'm on my way to see my youngest. His wife had a boy six months ago and this is the first time I'm going to get to see him."

"Well congratulations," she replied. "I love it when they're that young."

"Yeah," John replied with a grin, "Too small to do more then sleep and eat."

"And poop!" she laughed. "I don't have any children, so I don't have any grand children, but I still love them!"

"That's a shame, I bet you get to see almost all the children here, especially in a town this small," John said.

"Oh, yes! And let me tell you for a small town there's quite a few babies here."

"Really," John asked. "Do you know how many are going to be six months this week, like my grandson?"

"This week?" she asked, thought about it then said, "Well, let me there are the Smith twins Alice and Alicia, the Hamilton boy little Tommy, ah… and the Ozborne girl Sally."

"Wow," John said. "That many, that's amazing?"

"Well, there may be more and I may be off a bit on the dates but kids that young are wonderful," she said. "At least until they learn to walk! Then things get crazy!"

"Yeah," John replied with a chuckle. "They get into everything."

She nodded knowingly then asked, "Have you decided what can I get for you today?"

"I'll take a burger and some fries please," John replied. "Oh, and do you have a phone book?"

"Sure honey," I'll be right back.

She brought the phone book and John began looking up the addresses for the names she'd mentioned. He could only hope that she was accurate in her list. He looked up Smith, the first name she'd mentioned. Smith was a popular name and he hoped there weren't too many listed in the book. When he found it he was surprised to find only one. He wrote down the address in his notebook and hoped the other names would be so easy. Hamilton had two listings and the addresses for those two followed the previous ones. The problem came with the Ozborne child. There were nine Ozborne's listed. That was going to be problematic since it brought the number of homes he needed to check up to twelve.

When the waitress brought his burger and fires John ate quickly and left to begin his search. He had no way of knowing which child was six months old today. So he would have to check them all out. He found the homes for the first two children easily, but the third, the Ozborne child was turning out to be a difficult task. He was driving slowly past one of the homes on his list when red and blue lights began flashing behind him followed quickly by a siren.

John pulled over to the side of the road hoping the cop behind him would continue passed. Luck however, wasn't on John's side tonight. The officer got out of his car flashlight in hand and stepped up to John's window.

"Sir," the officer said. "Can you step out of the car please?"

"Yes sir," John said. "Was I doing something wrong?"

"That depends. Let me see your driver's license please."

John pulled out his license and gave it to the officer.

"Well, Mr. Winchester the reason I pulled you over is because I had a complaint about you driving around the neighborhood," he explained.

John cringed inside. Sometimes he hated small towns. "Sorry officer, I'm looking for my second cousin's house. I wanted to surprise her. It's been so long since I was here last I seem to have forgotten which one it is." As he spoke John's attention was drawn to the house across the street from where they stood. The lights of the house began flickering on and off. The demon was coming.

The officer also noticed the flickering lights and John asked him, "Does that happen often around here?"

"No, never," the man replied handing John back his license.

"Officer, I work for an electric company. That can be a major electrical short. We need to get that family out of there!" John told him.

"You stay here," the cop said and headed for the house.

Ignoring the officer John followed irritated at being hindered by the officer. If the man wasn't here John would have just broken down the door and gone in.

The cop pressed the door bell of the home, but before he could even remove his hand flames burst from one of the windows of the home. John rudely shoved the officer to the side and broke down the door. As he entered the house he heard the officer call for the fire department on his shoulder headset. The home was quickly filling with dark smoke and John could feel the heat of the flames that he knew were now consuming more than just the home. He headed directly for the heart of the fire knowing that was where the demon was going to be.

The officer followed after calling the fire in and when he began shouting for anyone inside to wake up John could have smacked him for alerting the creature to their presence.

Two teenaged girls came out of the first room looking wide eyed towards the fire. Both were shouting, "Mom, Dad!"

"Get them out!" John yelled at the officer shoving the girls his way. "I'm going after the parents!"

Flames burst from the doorway at the end of the hall and John heard a man screaming in agony. The smell of burning flesh assaulted him as he stalked closer to the flames with no thought to his own safety. He knew he was too late to save the man. He was too late for the wife and baby too. Now he had only one thought on his mind. He was going to destroy the demon no matter what it cost him to do it.

Suddenly an arm snaked around his neck and he was dragged back away from the flames. "It's too late, their gone!" said the officer pulling John back away from the flames that had now begun to engulf the hallway.

"Let me go! I can still do it!"

"It's too late! It would be suicide to try!"

"No!" John shouted shaking the officer off, but before he could go back a pair of burly firefighters grabbed him. With the help of the officer they dragged John from the burning building.

John struggled against the arms restraining him until he saw the ceiling collapse and realized it really was too late. He had missed his opportunity again and the demon had killed another family and gotten away.

**A/N Thanks for reading! Please take time to review and let me know what you think!**


	28. The old mill

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

It was early morning before John was able to leave the scene of the latest demon attack. He drove the fifteen miles to New Castle the closest town with a motel. Once again the demon had escaped him and destroyed another family. The demon had not seen him, but he suspected it knew he'd been there trying to stop it. That meant it knew he was in the area and he needed to be more careful.

He dropped his bags on the first bed in his seedy looking motel room. Then he salted the door and windows before taking a shower to rid himself of the smell of ashes and burning flesh that lingered on his clothes, skin and hair. The only thing he hated worse then that smell, was the demon. The memories that smell brought to him were horrible recollections of the night Mary had perished.

Finishing his shower John dropped onto the bed and fell into an exhausted and fitful sleep. His dreams were filled with death and flames and when he woke later in the day he was only slightly more rested then when he had fallen asleep.

Using the laptop John searched the web for any stories on last night's fire and found only a short blurb posted on one of the local news station's web sites. No details other than the fact that four people had died in a house fire. It didn't even mention that it was a six month old girl, a four year old boy and their parents. Credit was given to the officer for rescuing the teenaged girls and no mention was made of him, which was exactly what he had requested.

Next John researched the Ozborne family but found nothing significant. Nothing that he could find about the family or the child gave him any indication of what would attract the demon to them. If he could figure out why the demon was choosing its victims then he might be able to save the families by getting them away to a place he could protect before the demon attacked.

When he finished his research he had no new information but he could not leave yet. While he was pretty sure it was the demon that had killed the family he wanted confirmation. He had never gotten close enough to the bedroom to see what happened and needed to make sure it wasn't some kind of ruse or an accidental fire. He would spend the next two or three nights prowling the area where the remaining children lived and doing his utmost to keep them safe.

He closed the laptop. There was nothing more he could do right now so he decided to get something to eat. This time he used considerably more caution before opening the door and stepping over the salt line. He pushed aside the curtains of the window and looked outside. Nothing drew his attention so he opened the door looked around and stepped out to his truck. He would use this method every time he left a secured location from this point on. It would not do his children or anyone else any good if he was dead or captured.

After he ate John returned to the motel room and decided to at least look into the situation at the Park Bobby had mentioned. After all he did owe the man for all his help lately and besides it would give him something to do during the day. Opening the laptop he used google to search for McConnells Mill State Park and came up with several entries. He checked out their main web site to familiarize himself with the park.

The park itself encompassed over 2500 acres of the Slippery Rock Creek Gorge. The scenic park was filled with waterfalls, rugged hiking trails, a whitewater creek and an old logging mill built sometime in the 1800's. The combination of rough terrain, damp slippery rocks, varying degrees of white water rapids and steep cliffs has resulted in many serious injuries and deaths in the past. There have been many reports of ghosts and spirits in the area.

One of the more common stories is about an old mill worker who worked there. He always walked the same path to work carrying his lunch in a box and a lantern. Rumor is the man died because of a malfunction in the equipment. The spirit of the man can be seen walking down the hill to the mill and entering it. Once he goes into the mill a light appears screams can be heard coming from the mill.

There is also the spirit of a caretaker that lived on the property from the early 1930's until his death is also seen from time to time. He has been known to chase people away.

Then there's a girl that died in auto accident on the covered bridge that crosses Slippery Rock Creek beside the mill. Stories say she appears in your rear view mirror but when you turn around and look but she's never there and disappears from the mirror.

None of these would have attracted Bobby's attention though. It had to be something much more recent and much more deadly to peak his interest, so John continued looking. His search eventually brought him to the story that had come to the notice of his friend.

Two weeks ago Martha Staples, a park employee, had been working late. She was alone in the old mill building. At around eight o'clock other workers in the area heard her terrified screams coming from the building. By the time they arrived she was dead. Her mangled and dismembered body was torn into pieces and tossed across the floor of the mill. Written in the woman's own blood on the floor was "8:00". Every piece of her body was recovered except for one hand. The article also mentioned something similar having occurred in the mill over twenty years ago.

John continued to dig and found reports of more deaths going back into the early 1900's. Closing the laptop he decided he would need to check the older county records to see if the deaths went back even further. Tomorrow he would go to the local library and see what he could find out. Then if necessary he'd check the public records out at the county office.

John wondered at the message written in blood. Why eight o'clock? The time was obviously some how significant. It would probably be important to destroying whatever was butchering people in the mill. Only some of stories he'd read concerning the earlier deaths mentioned the time but all of those indicated the time of death at or around eight in the evening.

John set the alarm and lay down on the bed. He drifted off to sleep and this time his sleep was peaceful and undisturbed. He woke a few moments before the alarm went off, cleaned and prepared his weapons then left the motel. He arrived back at Plantersville just before dark. When he stopped at the only gas station to fill the truck he found the officer from the night before was also at the station.

The man had a very small patrol area so John wasn't surprised to run into him again. In fact he was hoping he would. He wanted to find out if the man knew the results of the fire departments investigation.

"John," the officer said shaking his hand. "How are you doing?"

"Better," John replied. "I wanted to apologize for giving you a hard time yesterday."

"Hey," the man said. "I understand. I wanted to save them too."

"Yeah, I know. I just wish we'd gotten there a few minutes sooner."

"If we had, we may have saved them all. The fire department determined you were right John. It was an electrical fire."

"That's a shame," John said baiting the man. "When they start inside the walls it's got to be hard to tell until it's too late."

"See now, that's the strange thing," he replied taking the bait. "The fire didn't start in the wall."

"It didn't?" John said feinting surprise. "But I thought you said it was electrical."

"It was, but it started in the ceiling, not the walls," the officer said confirming for John that it was the demon that started the fire and killed the family.

John said, "So the kids and the mother, they probably died from smoke inhalation then."

"I don't know yet. We're still waiting on that report," the officer said shaking his head.

"Well," John said. "I hope, for their sakes that they did."

"Yeah, me too," said the officer. "You have a good evening. I need to get back on patrol. And John, thanks for your help last night."

"You're welcome," John replied and as the officer returned to his car John got in the truck. He looked at his watch. It was seven thirty. He decided to go checkout the mill where the girl had died. It was only a few minutes away.

The mill had been closed to the public since the death of Martha Staples. So, after crossing the covered bridge that led up to the old mill John parked down the road a bit from the building and carrying his weapons duffle bag he made his way stealthily up the road.

John made quick work of the lock on the door and let himself inside checking his watch. It was five minutes to eight. It took less than two minutes for John to find the room where she was killed. Evidently the police had not yet released the scene for clean up. The room had been used as a visitor information center. A long glass case filled with fossils and remnants of past decades doubled as a counter. The walls were filled with framed pictures of the mill and surrounding area some in black and white, some in color. Several stands containing brochures for other parks and attractions decorated two of the corners and a large antique grandfather clock decorated the other corner.

Blood stains were smeared the entire length of the floor. The walls, pictures, ceiling and counter had streaks of blood in obvious cast off patterns. There was hardly a spot in the room that wasn't stained dark with old dried blood. At the doorway where John stood was the message written on the floor, "8:00".

John moved to the center of the room and began a closer inspection. The sudden noise as the old grandfather clock sounding the first chime of 8:00 started John. He was chuckling at his own unease when a strange scarlet red light invaded the room and the mill door flew open.

Standing in the doorway stood the silhouette of a shadowy figure. "This night when the clock chimes 8:00, you shall meet a grisly fate," snarled the shadowy figure. He lifted his arm to reveal he had no hand, but only a bloody stump at the end of his wrist. Unsheathing a sword from beneath his cape with his remaining hand he raised it menacingly and moved towards the hunter.

John backed slowly away while he pulled the shotgun from his weapons bag. It was loaded with rock salt and while it wouldn't destroy the spirit that was advancing on him it would certainly slow the thing down. John pulled the trigger and the spirit vanished in a swirl of red ethereal smoke.

John decided it was time to depart the mill and make his presence scarce before the ghost returned. He went to the door but when he tried to open it he found nothing he did would make it budge. The clock chimed a second time and a haunting laughter filled the room as the spirit returned in striking distance with the sword which was already in mid stroke. John jumped back but was hindered by the closed door. He raised the shot gun again and pulled the trigger but not before he felt the sting of the blade as it sliced across his chest.

The spirit disappeared again but John wasn't taking chances this time. He moved to the center of the room where he would have maneuverability. He removed the spent casings from the shot gun and replaced them with two fresh salt laden shells as the clock chimed for the third time.

The ghost reappeared and again struck at John with the sword. This time John was more prepared and using the barrel of the shotgun he blocked the stroke of the sword but the power behind the blade sent him stumbling backwards. Again he shot the ghost with the rock salt.

John knew he couldn't keep this up much longer he was either going to run out of shells or the spirit was going to appear to close for him to defend himself. At the fourth Chime of the clock the ghost appeared and it struck. This time coming in low and sending a searing pain through John's leg as he pulled the trigger. Before he could reload the spirit was back and John was forced to use the barrel of the gun again to block the strike aimed at removing his head. The clock chimed for the fifth time.

The Spirit smiled gleefully as John was sent sailing backwards. He was barely able to get the gun up again in time to block the next strike. This time John was smashed into the grandfather clock that adorned the corner of the room as it chimed for the sixth time.

As John sagged against the clock he recalled the words of the spirit when it first arrived in the room. He blocked another strike by the ghost then turned. And as the clock chimed for the seventh time he smashed the butt of the gun into the face of the clock destroying it with one powerful blow. He turned quickly to once again face the evil spirit. But as the ghost struck down and the gun came up to block, the sword passed through the barrel of the gun and the spirit turned to blood red mist and disappeared from sight.

John waited but the spirit did not return. He looked at the old grandfather clock. It had stopped before the final chime of 8:00. A sign above the clock announced that it was the original clock from the mills first day and had recently been restored and repaired.

For a reason John would likely never know the spirit was bound to the clock. Intent on preventing another incident John dragged the old clock outside and as a precaution he poured salt on it prior burning to ashes and scattering them into the creek.

**A/N Please read and review. **

**p.s. I am currently in West Palm Beach Florida and due to the impending hurricane I may not be able to post tomorrow's chapter. In fact if we loose electricity it may be a few days before I can post another chapter. So if I don't get the next chapter up as quick as I normally do please be patient I promise not to give up on this story until I have worked my way through the entire first season.**


	29. Mary

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

John's chest wound was superficial barely breaking the skin. It wouldn't even need stitches. However, his left thigh was bleeding profusely from the strike of the sword. It was deeper then he first thought and he was having difficulty stopping the flow of blood. Tossing a field dressing on his leg and changing his shirt John headed back to New Castle. As much as he hated it he would need to see a doctor about the leg injury.

John pulled into the small hospital's emergency room patient parking area. He switched his driver's license with the one that matched his insurance card. He was now John Westchester, the name he'd chosen for medical emergencies. The insurance card was real and his bills would be paid. The card was through a large medical corporation that didn't even know they were providing it to him.

John looked down at his leg. Blood coated his jeans from the bandage to below the knee. He had placed a pressure bandage on it and wrapped it in gaze but the bandage was already soaked through. He limped slowly towards the emergency room entrance, searing pain shot through his leg with every step. He began sweating profusely and to make matters worse got weaker as each moment passed.

The doors slid open and John entered the E.R. The waiting room was almost empty, two or three people waited patiently in the chairs provided. Two nurses and a doctor stood at the admittance counter talking. He heard a startled gasp from the waiting area as he trudged towards the admitting counter.

John was still several feet away when his leg, no longer able to bare his weigh, crumpled out from under him. The room spun and he began to topple over. Throwing his arms out, reaching for anything that would stop him from hitting the floor, he was surprised when someone caught his arm, slid up next to him and slipped it over their own neck to keep him from falling.

John turned his head to look at the person who had slipped under his arm and caught him. It was a nurse and John was staring directly into her big beautiful blue eyes. Blonde hair cascaded down and around her face reminding him of Mary. "I've got you," she said quietly. "What's your name?"

"I'm John," he told her. "I didn't think it was this bad, but it must be a bit worse then I thought."

She glanced down at his leg, shook her head and replied, "You didn't think it was that bad? Do you realize how much blood you've lost? You're white as a ghost."

John laughed at the irony of the statement. If she only knew what had caused his injury. He started to reply but his eyes began to loose focus and his vision darkened. He struggled to stay conscious and on his feet.

Then another nurse was beside him urging him to sit down. He tilted his head behind him and realized someone had brought a stretcher. With the help of the two women he sat down on the stretcher. The nurse that looked like Mary held him while the other one helped him raise his legs up onto the stretcher. The room spun crazily as his legs were lifted and he lay down closing his eyes in an attempt to stop the spinning. He felt the stretcher moving, which was not helping with the dizziness that forced him to keep his eyes closed.

The people around him were throwing medical terms back and forth but John was past trying to figure out what they were saying. Through the haze that was mucking up his thought process he felt the gurney stop and his pants being cut from him. He knew someone placed a mask on his face, then he spun slowly into darkness.

_They were at Dean's little league game. Mary sat beside him so alive and happy. He held little Sammy and smiled as he watched his beautiful wife jump up and down cheering Dean on as he hit his first home run. This was what he had always wanted but some how it wasn't right. She couldn't be here, she was gone. This was... wrong._

_Mary never saw Dean hit a home run. She never saw Sammy walk, or heard him say his first words. She didn't get to take Dean to his first day at school, or stay up all night with him worrying the first night he took the car out. This was not right. She's not here. He wanted her to be, but she wasn't. _

_Then she was gone and he was back in Sammy's nursery looking down at his son. He couldn't be here, Sammy is grown now, but… it was so real. And suddenly there's blood dripping down onto little Sammy, into his crib. John looks up and he sees Mary. She is on the ceiling. It's her blood. It's dripping on Sammy. He has time to scream her name, but then she's burning. She's on the ceiling and she's burning._

_Then it's there, the demon and its yellow eyes pierce his soul as it says, "You couldn't stop this. You couldn't keep her safe. You can't keep them safe from me."_

John sat bolt upright in the bed yelling at it, "NO! YOU CAN'T HAVE THEM!"

"Easy Mr. Westchester," said a female voice from beside him. "You're in the hospital. Do you remember what happened?" At first he though the pretty brunette was a nurse but then he noticed she was wearing a lab coat with a badge that proclaimed her Dr. Sanders.

He was silent for a moment allowing the dream to fade and reality to take its place. He looked at his heavily bandaged leg. It was elevated on a rather large pillow. "Yeah," he finally said, "How bad was it?" he asked.

"Whatever sliced through your leg nicked an artery." She explained. "I had to perform emergency surgery but I was able to save both you and your leg."

"That bad huh?" he grimaced.

"Yes sir, we also had to give you four units of blood," she said. "What were you doing, trying to drain your self dry?"

He ignored the sarcastic remark and asked, "How long have I been here?"

"You came in two nights ago around nine thirty," she told him. "It's just after noon now."

John didn't like it. He'd been in one place, unprotected for too long. "I have to go. I need my clothes."

"Hold on a minute, you can't go anywhere," she said. "You just had surgery."

"No, I had surgery two nights ago. I'll be fine. Get me my clothes and what ever paperwork I need to sign please."

"Mr. Westchester…"

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but this is not open for discussion. I am leaving even If I have to walk out of here bare assed!" John said forcefully.

"You shouldn't…" she began, but stopped mid sentence at the look on John's face. "Fine, but your clothes were cut from you so I don't know what you are going to wear."

"Look," John explained. "This isn't my first injury. I know about wound care and I'm a trained medic. I understand you would like me to stay, but I can't I need to leave, now. So if you don't mind please tell your people to get my discharge papers prepared and find me a pair of scrubs."

"A trained medic would listen to his doctor's orders," she said tartly.

"I'm not going to argue that with you ma'am, but if it wasn't extremely important I would not be doing this."

She didn't argue further which gained her a notch of respect from John. When she left he turned slowly and sat on the edge of the bed. He stood gingerly putting only the barest minimum of weight on his injured leg. Pain shot from the wound and he lifted the foot from the floor. "Well," he said to himself. "This is going to make things difficult."

"To say the least," said Dr. Sanders as she stepped back into his room carrying a set of scrubs. "I'm giving you three prescriptions. You can fill them at the pharmacy here in the hospital before you leave. One is an antibiotic; another is for the swelling and one for the pain. You need to be sure and take them as prescribed."

"Yes ma'am," he said.

"And you know where you can stuff that ma'am shit John," she said. "Just be careful on that leg. I didn't spend all that time fixing you up just to have you ruin it."

"I will," John told her. "And Doc… thanks."

She looked calculatingly at John then replied, "Your welcome."

John had to cut a tear in the pant leg of the scrubs to be able to get his bandaged leg into them, but in just a few minutes he was ready to go. He was given a pair of crutches which he would have to use at least for a little while.

John was glad he had plenty of leg room in the truck because he was having a difficult time keeping his injured leg comfortable. After a quick stop at his motel to pick up his belongings he left New Castle and headed west.

He called his friend and when he answered John said, "Hey Jim, its John."

"John, how are you doing?"

"I've been better."

"What's wrong?"

"Not much, but I'm on my way to your place if that's okay," he told his friend. "I have a few things I need to discuss with you."

"You know you're always welcome John," Pastor Jim said.

"Thanks, Jim. Listen, can you set up the cot in the basement. I'm going to need to keep it as private as possible that I'm there."

"Consider it done."

"Thanks, I should be there by tomorrow morning."

He didn't stop for anything but gas and by the time he reached Jim Murphy's place in Blue Earth he was stiff, sore and tired. He'd had a difficult time keeping his eyes open the last hundred miles or so, but he knew when he arrived his friend would be waiting.

**A/N Please read and review. FYI – Tomorrow's chapter will have some flashbacks as interaction between Jim and John. Hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter and thanks again for reading.**

**p.s. the storm has been downgraded so it looks like we are just gonna get very, very wet.**


	30. Pastor Jim

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Thirty**

It was early morning when John drove into the parking lot of Jim's church and true to his word Jim was waiting for him. John was glad because although he wouldn't have admitted it he was drained physically and emotionally. He wasn't sure he could make it into the church much less down the stairs to the Jim's private study and workroom.

John got stiffly out of the truck and before he could take more then one crutch assisted step Jim was at his side. As usual Jim was dressed in his "work clothes". As pastor of this small congregation church Jim was dressed in the all in black outfit and traditional white collar indicating his occupation.

John liked Jim despite the fact that he was a pastor. He figured nobody was perfect. John had met Jim the year after Mary had died. It was before he began hunting in the physical sense. At that time it was still research for John and he had found that most older churches had a library that contained excellent references on demons and other evil creatures. He had made it a habit to check all the church libraries when staying in a new town. The first time he came to Blue Earth he found the library in Jim's church to be the most extensive he had ever come across. He was also much more comfortable working here because Jim had not once looked at him strangely as he pulled down book after book about exorcisms, demons and fires. Dean had sat quietly the entire time watching his father work and keeping and keeping his baby brother entertained.

After observing John and his son's for several hours Pastor Jim had introduced himself and asked if he could help John find anything. It was the start of a friendship that John had come to cherish. If Jim wasn't helping John then he was entertaining the boys with anything from coloring to storytelling. Dean who didn't take to strangers very well seemed to like and trust Jim.

John would always remember what Jim had told him when he asked how he knew about the things John was researching. "I am a Pastor first," he had replied, "But I am also a hunter."

"A hunter of what?" John had asked.

"Of all things evil," Jim had replied.

He had helped John search through all the old texts and made suggestions on where else to look and had never once questioned John about why he was looking for the information. After several days John had felt comfortable enough with Jim to tell him about Mary. He told Jim of his intention to find the thing that killed her and destroy it. Jim had introduced him to Daniel Elkins and asked the man to teach John what he knew.

In over twenty years of friendship Jim had never once let John down. He was always there when he needed the man. He watched his friend take a hard look at him and shake his head. Then he asked, "John, why do you look like you just walked out of the operating room?"

John grimaced it couldn't be that bad, "Don't worry the surgery was three days ago."

"What happened?"

"A pissed of poltergeist with a sword," John said by way of reply.

"A sword?" Jim asked?

"You don't want to know," John told him.

"How bad is it?"

"It's deep and it nicked an artery," he replied.

"And the hospital released you already?"

"Yep, "John said. "As soon as they realized I was leaving."

Jim rolled his eyes at his friend's foolishness. "Are you going to be able to make it down the stairs?"

"Yeah, I think so," he replied and wondered briefly if he was trying to convince himself or Jim. As it turned out he needed a considerable amount of help from his friend to make it down the steep stairs and by the time he was sitting on the bed his whole body was trembling from weariness.

"Lay down John," Jim said. "I'll get your things."

John lay back on the small bed and was asleep before his friend returned with his duffle bags. He never even felt Jim remove his boots and cover him with the blanket. Jim knew what was hunting his friend and he knew that even though the church was holy ground John would feel better if he saw salt lines at the door and window. So before he left the room he put down salt lines. John was in no shape to defend his self at the moment.

Several hours later John was gently shaken awake by Pastor Jim. "John," he said. "I'm sorry, but you need to wake up for just a few minutes."

John came alert quickly. "What's wrong Jim?" he asked.

"Nothing's wrong, but you need to take these meds I found in the truck. You also need to eat. I've brought a bowl of beef stew."

John carefully sat up on the bed. He thankfully took the pills and drink that Jim held out to him. After he swallowed the pills his friend held out a bowl of stew. He wasn't hungry and was about to refuse when Jim said, "Don't even say it. You're going to eat it even if I have to hand feed you."

John grinned as he remembered the last time Jim had made that threat. It was around fourteen years ago. John was in the same place he was right now but he was in even worse condition. He had been mauled pretty badly by the werewolf before he was able to kill it. He had just barely made it back to the motel room where he'd left Dean taking care of Sammy who'd had a cold. His oldest son had taken one look at the severity of his wounds and called Pastor Jim. John passed out before Jim arrived and when he woke it was two days later and he was in Jim's study.

John has always been a terrible patient, and Jim didn't have much of a bedside manor. When he had refused to eat for the second meal in a row Jim had tied him to the bed and began feeding him. The then thirteen year old Dean had come in and taken one look at the treatment his father was receiving. Before either of them knew what was happening he had grabbed one of the guns from the wall rack pulled back the hammer and pressed it to Pastor Jim's head.

"Uncle Jim," he'd said with quiet menace. "I really like you, but you need to untie my dad right now!" It had taken both of them by surprise, but Jim had quickly released John who then took the gun from his son and explained that Jim wasn't going to hurt him. It had taken nearly six months for Dean to trust Pastor Jim again.

Jim looked at John and laughed. He knew exactly what the man was recalling, "Dean is not here this time to protect you so eat!" he told his friend.

John ate the stew.

"Bobby told me you were going to Pennsylvania after the demon," Jim said. "How did you end up getting stabbed with a sword by a poltergeist?"

"I was too late again," John said quietly.

"John, even you can't save everyone," Jim told him.

"Yeah, but…"

"No," Jim interrupted him. "No buts John, evil will always claim some of them. All we can do is try to save as many as possible. You can't blame yourself for the others. It's God's will."

"Do you really believe that?" John asked.

Jim looked at him funny, "You do realize I am an ordained pastor don't you? Of course I believe it."

"So you believe it was God's will that Mary died?"

Jim felt like he had just stepped into a hornets nest. "John," he said. "God always a reason, even if we can't see it. We just need to trust that He knows what He's doing."

"Yeah, well, one day God is going to have to explain it to me and He better have a damn good answer!"

Jim was not about to tell his friend that he knew what the answer was. Sometimes it was better to say nothing. If John ever realized what Jim did he wasn't sure how he would take it. Jim though, he knew. John, was the answer. If Mary had not died John and his boys would not be hunting and many other people would be dead. Instead he said, "I'm sure he will."

"You know," Jim said changing the subject. "You never told me how you got stabbed."

"I was just a few miles away from another problem, one Bobby had told me about," John told him. "A poltergeist was killing people up at McConnells Mill State Park. I went to check it out and it came after me. The damn thing was using a sword and the rock salt I was only just barely slowing it down."

"How'd you destroy it?"

"Pure luck," he replied. "It was bound to the grandfather clock in the mill. I destroyed the clock, but not before it got me."

The pills John had taken were beginning to kick in and he was getting drowsy. He lay back down his mind began to wander the way it does when the good drugs start to take effect. "Jim," he asked, "I have two good boys don't I?"

"Yes you do," Jim replied. "They take after their father."

"Yeah, they are both a bit crazy," he said drowsily. "Did I ever tell you about the day Sammy saved me and Dean?"

"No," Jim said.

"He was twelve. I probably shouldn't have brought him on that hunt but he insisted and I was tired of arguing with him. That boy can argue. Anyway, we had spent the past five hours arguing about what it was we were hunting. I swear that boy is stubborn and tenacious. I don't know where he gets that from either... "

Jim choked back a laugh when he realized John was being serious. He really had no idea how much the boy took after his father.

"Anyway, I finally decided to let him come, you know, just to make sure he knew how important good research was before you hunted. To teach him to make sure you know what you're hunting and how to kill it."

Jim nodded, but didn't reply.

"Anyway we were going after a windego and you know how dangerous they can be. So we're out there in the woods chasing this damn thing. It's so fast we are having trouble even catching a glimpse of it let alone catch up to it. I was starting to worry because a Windego will normally attack. I kept waiting for it to attack, but didn't come."

John was silent for a few seconds before he continued.

"So here we are all three of us walking through the woods looking for a windego when suddenly something shoves into me hard from behind knocking me forward. I heard Dean's grunt as he hit the ground too. And then I rolled away and looked up to see one of the scariest things I've ever seen in my life. Twelve year old Sammy was standing in front of me and Dean staring down a were-cat. He was holding up my .45 Smith and Wesson in a perfect shooters stance pointed at the biggest lepoard I'd ever seen. He pulled the trigger twice and shot the thing in the heart killing it. He had loaded the gun with silver bullets before we left because he thought I might be wrong."

"So much for that lesson huh?" Jim said.

"Yeah, I was the one who learned something that day," John said sleepily. "I learned to listen to my son's."

John's eyes closed and Jim got up and collected the dishes. He was about to leave when John said quietly, "Thanks, Jim… for everything."

"You're welcome," Jim replied.

A little over a week had passed and John's leg was healing nicely. He no longer used the crutches and Jim had pulled out the stitches the day before. John was planning on leaving in the next day or two but he still had not discussed with Jim the main reason for his visit.

Later that evening as they sat playing cards. Both of them cheating to the best of their abilities. That was when John brought up the subject of Marshall Hall. John told Jim everything that had happened in Ford City Nebraska. He explained how he had used the man's death to benefit his son.

When John was done Jim thought it over for a minute before he replied. "John, you remember I told you that everything happens for a reason."

"Yes, I don't necessarily believe it, but…"

"Well you said Marshall Hall died to save your son. I believe that to be partially true, he also died so your son could put a stop to the attacks and save many more people. If Dean had not been healed he would not have seen the reaper and figured out what was killing all those people."

"Maybe, but I did it, I set it up for him to be healed. I should have found another way."

"No, all you did was make sure Dean was there. It was Roy LeGrange who chose to heal your son."

John chose not to tell him what LeGrange had said about God chosing Dean. Instead he said, "I would have forced LeGrange to heal him."

"John, Marshall hall's death is not your fault," Jim said. Then holding up his hand to stop the comment he knew was coming he continued. "But, I will see what I can find out about the man's family and what can be done for them."

"Thanks again."

Bobby called later that evening and told John that Jim Miller was dead. He had appearently committed suicide.

**A/N Thanks for taking the time to read it! Please now take the time to Review it. I really appreciate all the reviews. **

**p.s. the storm has passed and all is well here. Thanks to all.**


	31. All things considered

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Thirty One**

John left before sunrise the next morning and made the trip to Saginaw Michigan in less then twelve hours.

John had searched the internet and come up with a few news reports on the man's death. All the reports he read said the man had committed suicide, but the Jim Miller that John had met on his last trip to Saginaw would never have intentionally killed himself. If he was drunk enough he may have done so by accident, but he didn't have the guts to off himself. The man was a coward.

When he reached Saginaw John went immediately to the Miller's home but due to his previous contact with Roger Miller, Jim's brother, he didn't think it would be wise to make contact again. He would have to be sure Roger was not present when he spoke with the wife and son. That was going to make this investigation just a bit more difficult, but he would have to manage.

John was in his truck parked several houses away when he saw a very familiar black Impala drive up and park in front of the Miller home. "What the hell?" John said to himself. "What are you boys doing here?" He nearly choked when Sam and Dean stepped out of the car dressed in the traditional black garb of a Catholic Priest.

He watched as they knocked on the door and Max Miller answered inviting then in. "Well, that's one way to do it," he laughed before putting the car in gear and leaving. "Wait till I tell Jim, you boys are going to be in so much trouble with him."

John drove back to his motel room. He wondered what had drawn his son's to look into the death of Jim Miller. Did they know about the history the family shared with them? It was possible if they had done the same research that John and Bobby had done, but something told John that was not the case.

John wondered, not for the first time, if this was a trap. It was possible that the demon had killed Jim Miller. Either as a trap for John and his boys, or because it wanted to finish the job it had started over twenty years ago. He would have to stick around to be sure his boys did not get caught if it was a trap. He would need to be very careful. He was afraid of what would happen if the demon caught all three of them together. He had to make sure that did not happen.

The first thing he would need to do is rent another vehicle. His boys would recognize his truck immediately if they saw it. John flipped on the television. The local news was airing. John was only half paying attention while he googled car rentals in Saginaw. That is until they mentioned Roger Miller's name.

John listened as the newscaster reported on the apparent murder of Roger Miller. He was decapitated when a window in his home was slammed down on his neck severing his head from his body. Police were at this time unsure if it was an accident or murder. Mention was also made of the suicide death of his brother earlier in the week.

Later that night he checked out all the motels in the area until he spotted the Impala parked in front of the Escanaba Motel. Pinpointing their room was easy because they had not yet closed their blinds and he could easily make out Dean sitting on the bed talking animatedly with his brother. He left and returned to his own motel.

The next day John rented a small sedan with dark tinted windows. The boys were already gone from their motel by the time he got there. It took mere seconds to pick the lock and gain entrance.

The room looked like a hunter's cabin with log walls, oak wood furniture. Several deer heads and a boar decorated the walls in place of pictures and above the sink was a large stuffed bass on a plaque.

The first thing John noticed was the lack of salt lines at the door and windows. His boys were not taking the necessary precautions. Then he saw the walls covered in their research. Reviewing what they'd done John found nothing. They had obviously been checking into the background of the house and land. Nothing bad had happened in the house and the land was not a battleground or graveyard nor was it previously the tribal lands of any Indians.

The research confused John at first but then he realized that Dean and Sam must not know about the background of the Miller family. If they did their research would have taken them in a completely different direction. John left his son's room slightly more confused then when he arrived. There was no indication in any of their research about why they had been attracted to this job in the first place especially if the didn't know about the history of the family.

John decided to visit the Miller residence and see what he could learn. He knew that this time he wouldn't be running into either of the Miller's that he'd already had contact with since they were both dead already.

When he arrived the police and an ambulance were at the Miller residence. So were Dean and Sam or at least the Impala was there. John spoke with one of the officers outside the home, careful to stay on the far side of the ambulance to out of sight of the windows. It only took a few minutes to find out that Max was dead. He was killed after assaulting his step mother. Apparently a couple of friends of the family had saved her. The police now think the boy had killed his father and uncle before attempting to kill his stepmother.

John didn't blame the boy for wanting revenge for what had happened to him.

The front door opened and he heard his son's voices as they left the Miller home. He didn't catch what they were saying at first. He was more concerned with going around to the other side of the ambulance. Once he was safely hidden John paid closer attention to their conversation.

"It wouldn't have mattered what you said," Dean was telling his brother, "Max was too far gone."

"When I think about how he looked at me right before…" Sam replied. "I should have done something." Sam sounded distraught.

"Come on man you risked your life," Dean told him as they reached the car. "I mean yeah maybe if we'd have gotten there twenty years earlier."

John could now see and hear his boys and he was totally shocked when Sam sighed and said, "Well I'll tell you one thing. We're lucky we had dad."

John's knees became weak at his youngest son's admission. He knew his son loved him. Even after their last big fight he knew his son still cared. If he didn't he would not have been so upset. But it had never occurred to him that Sam though them lucky to have him as a father.

Evidently he wasn't the only one to think that because his brother replied, "I never thought I'd hear you say that."

When Sam explained John knew they had found out about the demons attack on the Millers. "Well, it could have gone the whole other way after mom…," Sammy couldn't finish the sentence so he shrugged his shoulders then continued. "A little more tequila a little less demon hunting and would've had Max's childhood. All things considered we turned out okay. Thanks to him."

"All things considered."

Unshed tears glistened in Johns eyes as he listened to the last part of his son's explanation and heard his brothers reply. Then he watched with a smile as they got in the impala and drove away.

**A/N Please review! Thanks for reading!**


	32. Diva's!

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Thirty Two**

The Stealth Killer. That was what the media here in Chicago was calling the thing that killed Ben Swarstrom. John had been on the case for more the two weeks and was beginning to think the thing had moved on when the second victim was killed.

In both cases the victim died in their own home with all the windows and doors locked and the alarm still set. The second victim even had the chain up on the door. There were no signs of a struggle in either case but both victims were literally torn to pieces.

John had been posing as an FBI agent giving him access to the police files for both cases. He had made copies of the files and crime scene pictures. Most of which were hung on the walls of the apartment he was subletting. He had already determined that the only link between the victims is that they were both born in Lawrence Kansas.

He had also already ruled out any form of corporeal creature. There was just no way any of them could have gotten into the apartments without leaving some kind of trace. It was unlikely to be a spirit or poltergeist they were normally attached to a place, person or thing and these victims had nothing in common other than their birth place. Besides, none of those things would have removed the victim's hearts.

John had been staring at the photos of the blood stains at both crime scenes as he considered the options. That when he saw the pattern in the blood of the first victim and after turning the photo of the blood stained carpet of the second victim John saw it there also. He took out a marker and followed the pattern. It was like a gristly game of connect the dots. In the end the pattern looked almost like a rounded "Z" with a circle in the middle.

John searched the internet for the pattern but came up empty. He checked the few texts he carried with him, but again he had no success. After hours of searching he decided to call in the expert. He dialed Bobby's number and when his friend answered John described the symbol and asked if Bobby could identify it.

It took even Bobby several hours, but finally he called John back and told him what he'd discovered. "It's a Diva John," his friend said. "It's Zoroastrian. A very old school demon. The only way any could be here is if it was summoned."

"So I'm looking for an alter," John determined.

"Yeah, a very dark alter. Summoning a diva is very risky business." Bobby replied.

"Why?" John asked as his phone beeped indicating a second call. John as usual ignored it. If it was important they'd leave a message.

"Because they tend to attack the person that summons them," he explained. "They are completely animalistic."

"What do they look like?" John asked.

"I don't know John. No one has seen one for thousands of years."

"Okay, Thanks for the help Bobby," John said before clicking the phone shut.

This whole thing was looking more and more like a trap. A trap set specifically for him.

John spent a few hours searching divas on the internet but couldn't get anymore information then Bobby had provided.

He called Jim Murphy and asked him to check his extensive library to see if he could add to what Bobby had already told him. When he flipped the phone closed he noticed he had a message and remembered the second call when he was talking to Bobby.

He dialed his voice mail and listened to the message.

_Dad, its Dean. Sammy and I are in Chicago. We're staying at the Calumet Motel room 132. We think we have a serious lead on the thing that killed mom. So ah, this warehouse its 1425 West Erie. Dad if you get this get to Chicago as fast as you can._

"Oh God, no," John said out loud. Fear for the safety of his son's drove him into immediate action. John grabbed his bag and headed for the truck. 1425 West Erie was halfway across the city from where he was staying. He prayed he made it in time to stop his boys from walking into the trap that was set for him.

John drove passed the warehouse once before stopping. He spotted Dean's car and knew he was too late to stop them, but hopefully not to late to save them. He got out of the truck grabbing his weapons bag as he went. He only took a few steps before the sound of breaking glass drew his attention skyward.

As he watched a young woman about Sammy's age fell from the broken window seven stories above the ground. She landed amid the broken glass with a thud and didn't move. John looked up at the window she'd fallen from and suddenly two very familiar bodies filled the void where the window had been. They spoke for a moment then turned and left the window. Even where he was standing John could tell they were bloodied. But they were still standing.

"Good boys," he said quietly to himself and then he made a decision that he would later regret. He decided to speak to his boys in person. Maybe if they had known of the true danger they would not have walked into the trap that had been so carefully laid for him. John needed to make sure they understood how dangerous it was for them all right now. And he needed to tell them so much more.

He decided to meet them at their room instead of entering the warehouse. That way there was less chance that they would be found. He also could watch from the window and be sure they weren't followed.

John picked the lock and entered their room. He stood at the window waiting for their arrival. A flood of emotions ran though him as he considered what to say to them when they arrived. He would tell them that he loved them. He needed to make sure they knew that above all else. They needed to know he was proud of them and their accomplishments. That he missed them. But it hurt that he would also have to tell them he had to leave again.

He watched as Dean parked the car and they got out. Sammy reached into the back seat and pulled out a duffle bag and they entered the building. John continued looking out the window watching to be sure they were not followed. He heard the key in the lock but didn't turn around. Now that it came down to it his fears surfaced in one terrible wave. Would they be angry and reject him? Had he hurt them so much that they couldn't love him anymore? He closed his eyes and gathered his strength.

"Hey," Dean yelled fiercely seeing him in the darkest corner of the room.

John turned and smiled at his son's.

"Dad," Dean said in utter disbelief.

"Hey boys," he said with false bravado. He trembled inside. Now was the moment of truth. How would they react to his presence? God he had missed his children.

With three quick strides Dean was across the room and embracing him in a completely uncharacteristic Hug. John wrapped his arms around his son and closed his eyes as they filled with unshed tears. The fierce hug from his oldest son told him all he needed to know about the way Dean felt about him. Dean had a serious aversion to emotional moments.

Sam however, hung back. He looked uncertain of what to say or do. Sam was always so emotional and never at a loss for words. He wore his heart on his sleeve, but now he looked so unsure of what to do and what to say. John wanted to pull him into his arms like Dean had done for him, but he didn't know how Sam would react to that. He remembered the fight they had. The horrible words he had said to his son rang in his head.

Sammy stood next to his brother, dropped the duffle bag and looked at his father, "Hey Dad," he said the emotion in his voice causing it to crack just a little. And John could tell he wanted to say more, but was hesitant.

"Dad, it was a trap," Dean said. "I didn't know. I'm sorry."

John smiled at his son, "It's alright. I though it might have been," he told him.

Dean got slightly suspicious look on his face and asked, "Where you there?"

John nodded, "Yeah, I got there just in time to see the girl take the swan dive," he replied. "She _was_ the bad guy right?"

"Yes sir," Both boys said in unison.

"Good," John told them. "Well it doesn't surprise me. It's tried to stop me before."

"The demon has?" Sam asked.

John nodded. "It knows I'm close. It knows I'm going to kill it. Not just exorcise it or send it back to hell…. Actually kill it."

"How?" Dean asked.

"I'm still working on that," he replied with a grin.

"Let us come with you. We'll help," Sam said. He had expected it to be Dean not Sam who asked. But he should have known better. Sam never used to like to hunt but now John suspected his son _needed_ to hunt the same way John had needed to hunt after Mary's death.

"No Sam," John said quietly. "Not yet." He saw the defiance in his son's eyes so he tried to explain. "Listen, try to understand, this demon is a scary son of a bitch. I don't want you caught in the crossfire. I don't want you hurt."

"Dad you don't have to worry about us," Sam told him adamantly.

John lifted his head to look his son in the eyes. "Of course I do," he told his young son. "I'm you father…" The look that crossed his son's face was one of disbelief. Then John understood. Sam was just as unsure of John's feelings about him as he was about Sam's feelings towards him. John wanted to apologize for the fight, hell, for everything but he didn't know how. "Listen Sammy," John said. "Ah, last time we were together we had one hell of a fight."

Sam swallowed and John could see how tense the boy was when he replied, "Yes sir."

The tears that had filled his eyes as he hugged his oldest son began to spill over as he told Sam, "It's good to see ya again. It's been a long time."

Sam Sighed in relief as his eyes too pooled with tears. "Too long!" he told his father.

Then to John's utter relief they embraced in a fierce hug while tears of happiness poured unchecked down both men's faces. John patted his son on the back before stepping back and smiling happily at him and Dean. He was filled with joy as he looked at them.

John was about to tell them how much he loved them. How much he missed them but suddenly, painfully he was picked up and thrust across the room. He smacked agonizingly into the counter and slid down to the floor. Before he could do more then shake the cobwebs from his head he was pinned down as unseen claws ripped across his chest again and again causing unimaginable pain. Blood poured down the side of his face from the first strike. He heard his oldest son grunting in pain as he too was attacked by the unseen creatures. John screamed each time the claws slashed into his flesh. He didn't know if he was screaming in pain or frustration or both.

John struggled uselessly to break free of his invisible attacker. He heard Dean's cries and his heart broke at the sound. The demons had him and they had his children. He had done this. He had brought this down on them just by being with them. He screamed again.

Then he heard Sammy, "Shut you eyes!" he shouted. "These things are shadow demons! So let's light them up!"

John squeezed his eyes shut as bright light engulfed the room and he was suddenly released. He collapsed limply to the floor.

"Dad," He heard Dean shout.

"Over here," he said weakly. And then Dean was picking him up from the floor and dragging him out the door. The fumes from the flare Sam had lit filled the room. All of them began to cough as they headed outside. Together they made their way down to the Impala parked in the alley.

Sam seemed to have suffered the least from the demons attack. He reached the car slightly ahead of John and Dean. After tossing the duffle into the back seat he turned to his family and said, "Alright come on…"

Dean quietly called his brothers name, "Sam…"

Sam ignored him, "We don't have much time…"

"Wait," Dean said to his brother. When he got no response he shouted, "Wait!"

"As soon as the flair is out they'll be back…"

"Sam! Wait!" Dean shouted again and finally got his brothers attention. When Sam stopped speaking Dean looked at his father and said, "Dad, you can't come with us." John had never known that six words could hurt so much. But his son's simple statement felt worse then getting punched in the gut. Hell it felt worse the pain the invisible creatures had just caused him.

Before he could say anything Sam looked at his brother in compete astonishment. "What?" he shouted, "What are you talking about?"

John looked at Sam and then at Dean and said, "You boys. You're beat to hell."

But Dean was adamant. He didn't want to be with John. "We'll be alright," he said.

"Dean we should stick together we'll go after this demon…" Sam started, but his brother interrupted him. John never thought the day would come when Dean would be the one to push him away, but he deserved it and he knew it.

Dean looked at his brother. "Sam listen to me," he pleaded. "We almost got dad killed in there. Don't you understand their not going to stop? They're going to try again. They're going to use us to get to him. Meg was right! Dad's vulnerable when he's with us. He's stronger without us around."

John looked at his oldest son shocked that he had come to that conclusion. John said nothing even though he wanted to tell his son that he was wrong. That it wasn't them who had almost gotten him killed. It was he who had almost gotten them killed. He had to leave again because they would be in to much danger. Tonight proved it.

Sam placed his hand on his fathers shoulder and looked him in the eye. "Dad," he said shaking his head. "No. After everything. After all the time we spent looking for you. Please… I've gotta be a part of this fight" John could see need in his young son's eyes. He could see the pain and the fear, but he had almost lost them tonight. He couldn't take that chance again.

He reached up and held his son's arm. "Sammy, this fight is just starting. We are all going to have a part to play in this fight," he told his son. "For now you've gotta trust me son. For now you gotta let me go." John released his son's arm.

Sam looked at his father and John could see the internal battle going on within his young son. John stayed silent letting Sammy work it out on his own and he did, but he could not voice his decision instead he lifted his hand from his fathers shoulder. He looked like he wanted to say something else but instead he just nodded and patted his father's shoulder in acceptance. He stepped aside to let his father go.

John looked again at his son's. They were in bad shape both of them had been mauled by their unseen attackers. Dean was almost in as bad a shape as he was. But staying with him would only make things worse for them. He wanted to be with them so much, but he wanted them to be safe even more. So, hard as it was he nodded and walked passed his son's to his truck.

He opened the door and looked back at his children. They stood side by side watching him leave. He could see the pain etched on both their faces and it hurt to know he was the caused of that pain. He sighed and said, "Be careful boys." Then he got in the truck and drove away.

**A/N Please read and review. Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews... They make it so much easier to want to continue writing!**


	33. Guilt

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Thirty Three**

John drove away with his heart in his throat. He had nearly gotten his boys killed. It was Sammy who had saved them his quick thinking had once again saved them all. It was Dean who had picked up his father and practically dragged him from the room. He was supposed to be the one to protect them. He hadn't even done that, instead he had put them in one of the most dangerous situations they had ever faced. They had survived, barely. His boys were hurt and in pain. He wanted to be there, to help them. He couldn't. He wouldn't.

John picked up the phone. He called Jim Murphy, "Jim, this is John."

Pastor Jim could hear the pain in his friend's voice, "What's wrong John?" he asked.

"I need you to call Dean," John said.

"Why what happened?"

"I made a mistake," John said quietly. "I met with them."

"And… what happened are they angry with you? Upset?"

"No, they're hurt. Badly hurt," John said. "We were attacked. My God Jim… It almost killed them."

"What about you," Jim asked. "Are you okay?"

"No."

The one word answer chilled Pastor Jim. "John, what do you want me to do?"

"Just call them, make them come to you," John pleaded. "I need you to fix them for me." Jim could hear the turmoil in John's voice, the pain and the anger. "I can't do it. It will kill them if I'm with them… Please Jim."

"Okay John but what about you?" Jim asked. "Where are you?"

"Chicago," he said and Jim could hear the weakness in his voice. "But I'm leaving now. So are they. Get them to come to you. I trust you. Please help them."

"I will. I promise, but what about you John?" Jim asked. "Where are you going?"

"I don't know yet," John told him. "I'll think of something."

"Just be careful."

"Jim… Thanks." John hung up the phone and drove out of the city.

He hurt. He accepted the pain it was his due and it kept him awake as he drove. He had no conscious thought about were he was going. He made no effort to see to his own wounds. He knew they were bad, but he had deserved each strike of the creature's invisible claws.

He could still hear his son's grunts of pain as the diva's attacked him. Dean. His oldest son was hurt bad. He could not get the picture of Dean curled in a ball of pain out of his head. Dean, the boy who never showed pain, never showed emotion. He had been forced to watch his son's torture even as he was given the same treatment. It was pure luck that there wasn't a third demon. If Sam had been likewise attacked they would all have died, torn to pieces by something they couldn't even see.

He drove until he was low on gas then he stopped at a full service station and had the attendant fill it up. John ignored the man's inquires about his injuries. He paid for the gas and continued to drive. He crossed the border into Iowa, then Nebraska and then finally Colorado. He had no idea how long he'd been driving or how many times he'd stopped for gas never getting out, never answering the questions of the concerned attendants. He simply drove.

His phone rang and he ignored it. He hurt. He ignored it. The sun rose and set again. A fever began and raged. He ignored it. He ignored everything because he had to make all of this stop. He had to destroy this damn evil son of bitch before it killed his boys or worse took them alive. He had to find a way.

He knew where he was going now that he was almost there. He could only hope the reception he received was not as bad as the argument they'd had when he left the last time.

It was late when he pulled up in front of the old cabin. He was home. John could see the light on in his office. He was probably sifting though a pile of newspapers cutting out stories that interested him. John smiled he should teach the man how to google. It was a lot easier and much more efficient.

The front door of the cabin opened and he came out onto the porch, shot gun in one hand, flashlight in the other. John opened the door of the truck and slid out. His feet touched the ground and a slight groan escaped his lips before he could stop it. He closed the door and leaned on the truck working up the energy to go further.

Light flashed on his face and he heard his old mentor's voice. "John?" he said. "Is that you?"

"Daniel," John said. "It's…" He wanted to say more, but suddenly the ground started to spin and his legs became weak.

He heard Daniels voice, but it was distorted as though he was hearing it though ear plugs, "John, what the hell happened?"

John was suddenly sitting on the ground and he had no idea how he'd gotten there. He couldn't seem to focus on anything much less his friend. He groaned as he Daniel opened his jacket and looked at the mass of bloody claw marks that marred his chest.

"Damn boy, I thought I taught you better than this," was the last thing John heard before he fell into darkness.

**A/N – Please read and review. I know this is one of the shortest chapters I've written in a while but please read and review. I'll post again soon. Promise.**


	34. Recovery

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Thirty Four**

_He was flat on his back. His chest was burning with pain. He tried to get up. He was held down. He fought. "You can't have them!" he yelled at it. His whole body was on fire, he was burning up. He sank back into darkness._

_He was floating in an ocean of pain and fire. He couldn't move. He was tied down. They had him. How? He could hear them talking about his boys. His boys were hurt. They had them too? He tried to open his eyes so could see them but they were too heavy. He tried to stay awake he had to find a way to escape. He struggled against his bonds._

_"Don't fight it, John. You can't fight us," it said._

_"Watch me," he tried to shout as he struggled to break the bonds that held him._

_"Damn it, get the morphine," one of them said._

_"No!" he yelled and struggled harder but he couldn't fight the drugs and he floated back into oblivion._

He woke up shivering. He opened his eyes but couldn't make them focus so he closed them again. Where was he?

"John," a soft voice said. "I know its cold, but we had to get the fever down. It was topping a hundred and four."

He opened his eyes again and tried to focus on the voice. It was vaguely familiar. Damn he was cold. He blinked several times and finally he was able to focus his eyes. "Jefferson?" he said in a soft whisper.

The other man sighed, relief plain on his face. "Welcome back," he said as he held a cup of water and John took a few sips.

John tried to raise his hands, but found them tied down. He looked at Jefferson and said, "That bad?"

He nodded. "That bad," he replied as he removed the restraints from John's arms and legs. "You fought us pretty hard for a while there, but I think we can remove these now."

John knew his injuries were bad, but if Jefferson was here it was worse then he'd thought. The man was a doctor, one of the best. He shivered again and told his friend, "Its cold." There was very little pain and John figured that whatever pharmaceuticals Jefferson was slipping him were working.

"I know. It's the ice packs we have packed around you. I couldn't get the fever down. If this didn't work we were going to put you in an ice bath. And the way you were fighting us it would have taken all three to do it, so I'm glad this is working."

"Three?" John said looking around. He didn't see anyone else, but he noted the I.V. that trailed down to his arm and he could feel the thick bandages covering his chest as well as the ice packs surrounding his body.

"Yeah, that first night you showed up here on Daniel's doorstep. You were in pretty bad shape. He called Pastor Jim. I was there taking care of my other two patients. Jim told me the whole story. I flew out as quickly as I could. Bobby came over to set protection for us and once he tasted Daniels cooking he refused to leave."

It took a few minutes for what Jefferson told him to sink in and he remembered the attack and his phone call to Jim. "Dean. Sam?" John asked.

"They're both fine," Jefferson said. "Unlike you they took time to clean their wounds and apply field dressings. They're not likely to even have any scars. You on the other hand will have several, including a nice one down the side of your face."

"I deserve them," John told his friend. "I almost got my boys killed."

"Hogwash!" Jefferson said. "Someone needs to beat both you and Dean over the head with a stick. You're both blaming yourselves for this. How about you try blaming the demon that did it instead?"

John was going to reply but the sneaky bastard put a thermometer in his mouth as soon as he opened it up.

"Get this through that thick head of yours John Winchester," the man said. "This was not your fault!"

"Listen to him boy," said someone from across the room. "He's tellin' you true. You always did take too much responsibility on yourself."

John looked at Daniel Elkins. He looked older then the last time John had seen him and he was a bit thinner on top, but other than that he was the same man who had taught John most of what he knew about hunting. Daniel was giving John that look. The one that said what the hell were you thinking?

Jefferson reached down and took the thermometer from John and read it. "That's more like it, one hundred point six. Not perfect, but I can live with that. More importantly," he said to John, "You can live with it.

"How long have I been here?" John asked wearily.

"Six days," Daniel said stepping over to the bed. "You gave me one hell of a scare that first night. I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep you alive until Jefferson got here."

"Six days?" John said incredulously. "That's too long," he said as he tried to sit up.

Jefferson reached over and gently pushed John back down onto the bed, "Where do you think you're going?"

"It's too dangerous," John said struggling weakly against his friends restraining hand. "You're all in danger."

Bobby stepped up beside Daniel and took Jefferson's place as he moved back. "John, I've taken care of it," Bobby said. "This cabin is now just as safe as my place."

John sighed. He looked at the men standing at his bedside and for the first time in a long time he felt truly safe. But it worried him that his safety might come at a very high cost. These men were family to him and he didn't want any of them hurt or killed because of him. John also knew that in his current condition he was powerless to do anything about it.

"John," Jefferson said. "I'm giving you something that's going to help you rest. Now that we've got the fever down, all you're going to need is rest and time to heal."

John looked at Jefferson, Bobby and Daniel and he told them the same thing he told his son's the last time he'd seen them. "Be careful boys." He heard Daniel's snort of derision as he drifted off peacefully into a dreamless healing sleep.

For the next week John spent his time sleeping and healing. Jefferson left the second day after John woke up. He left strict orders regarding John's recovery and informed them he'd be back in a week.

Pastor Jim called the day the boys left his place. He told John they were, for the most part, healed. And while they worried about their dad they now understood the need for the separation. At least Dean did, Sammy, not so much. But they also understood that they had become targets themselves and that they needed to keep moving.

John healed physically it took time, more time than he liked, but that was his own fault. Jefferson was right he should have field dressed his wounds. It was the nightmare that was the worst of it. It started after he stopped using the morphine. John would wake up in a cold sweat screaming. It was the same nightmare time after time.

_Dean was on the floor curled into a fetal position. Pain filled screams ripped from his throat as an unseen force tore him apart while John was forced to watch. And then he'd see Sammy, but his eyes, his eyes were a sickly shade of yellow grey and he laughed at the treatment of his brother. And when Dean's screams finally stopped; when he was gone forever; then Sammy would turn to him and say, "This one I'm going to keep. He is mine now." And John knew it wasn't his Sammy, not anymore. And he knew he had failed them both horribly and as soon as that realization sank in. Then Sammy would reach out and push his hand into John's chest and rip out his already broken heart. _

The third time he woke up screaming both Bobby and Daniel sat with him and coaxed the details of the dream from him. Bobby looked at Daniel when John had finished speaking and he nodded.

"John," Daniel said. "We've been wanting to talk to you about something. I want you to listen for a few minutes, don't interrupt just let me finish. I know you're not really going to like it, but we feel like you need to hear it."

"What?" John asked skeptically.

"We think you're making a mistake. We think it would be better, safer for all of you, if you teamed back up with your boys." Daniel saw John was about to comment and held his hand up and said, "John, just listen. You don't have to take our advice, but it won't hurt to listen to it."

It was Bobby who continued, "You three are strongest when you work together. Those diva's that attacked you, no one has ever gotten away from them. Everything I have been able to find says that once they are released nothing can stop them from destroying their prey. But you and your boys, you did. You got away because you worked together as a team."

"John," Daniel said. "We know you are worried about your boys, but you have trained them well and we think you give them less credit then they deserve. You were a Marine John, what did they teach you about trying to do things by yourself in the Marines? You know better to work as a team. It's time you stopped trying to be Rambo and started acting like a Marine again."

John listened silently as his friends spoke and when they were done he told them the same thing he'd been telling himself since Jericho. "I know my boys are good, but I can not… I will not watch them die. Don't you understand? That would kill me."

"And what are your boys going to do if you die, John?" Bobby asked.

"There is a possibility that will happen," John said. "I am willing to accept that risk, in fact I don't expect to come out of this fight in one piece. But that demon is going to be destroyed if it is the last thing I do on this earth."

"Just think about what we said John," Daniel told him. "Everyone needs help sometimes and knowing who to accept it from is sometimes harder then actually accepting it."

**A/N Okay, I know it took a tad bit longer then usual but I was slightly distracted by the other story I'm working on called Twister. I'm trying to post a chapter for each story every day, but sometimes I don't quite get done on time. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'll post another as soon as it's done. Thanks again and please review!**

**p.s. I'm sure some of you noticed but I took a bit of liberty with one the characters from the show. I made Jefferson a doctor. In the show it never says what his profession actually is but since I needed a doctor and Jefferson was _available_ for the part.**


	35. Shtriga

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Thirty Five**

Jefferson had come back a week after he'd left. After examining John he had removed the stitches from his chest and given him a salve to rub onto the wounds. Then he had told John one more week of bed rest and he could begin the exorcise routine that would help him build up his strength and stamina. Three weeks of bed rest was almost more then John could handle. It was a good thing that he had been drugged and unconscious for most of the first two weeks.

John did not like being idle and he didn't like being confined to a bed, but he had given his word and his word was his bond. Some how Jefferson had connived a way to get John to promise he would stay in the damn bed for at least another week. John suspected the man had used drugs to do it. He was sneaky like that.

To keep himself sane John began reading through Daniels extensive library of books and texts. The books covered the gauntlet of all things supernatural. Daniels library had always intrigued John as much as Pastor Jim's had. Bobby too was developing quite a collection of texts on the subject, though his filing system left a lot to be desired.

It was in one of Daniels books that John first read the legend of 'The Colt'.

…_In the eighteen hundred and thirty five with Haley's Comet over head, Samuel Colt made a special gun for a special hunter. It was powerfully made with the combined magic of the comet, the power of Christ and the aid of supernatural powers. With the gun he made thirteen bullets. The power of the gun, together with the bullets could be used to destroy anything supernatural…_

"Daniel, Bobby," John called his friends over. "Take a look at this," he said showing them the passage in the book he'd just read.

Bobby took the book from him and held it up so both he and Daniel could read it. "John, if this gun still exists…" Bobby said.

John nodded. "If it does and I can find it I could beat the demon," he said and for the first time in a very long time he was filled with hope. If he could get his hands on this gun then maybe, maybe they could end this battle.

"It puts a whole new meaning to the saying; _God didn't make all men equal, Sam Colt did_." Bobby told him with a laugh.

Daniel was silent as he read the text and didn't comment when John and Bobby were talking. "John," he said finally. "You think this gun will work on the demon that's after you and your family?"

"It say's it will destroy anything," John replied. "I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work on the demon."

"We need to find out if it will." Daniel said.

"And we need to find the gun," John replied. "It doesn't matter if it will kill the demon if I don't have the gun."

Daniel nodded. "Yeah, but there's no point in even looking if the gun won't work on it," his friend told him. "We need to do more research on the gun itself."

"You're right," John told him. "But let's keep our eyes out for this gun too."

John continued to pour over Daniel's books. He also continued his daily internet searches keeping his eye out for signs that the demon was going to strike again and other unexplained events. It was during one of his searches that he found signs that he had not seen in over sixteen years.

It was in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. Children were becoming sick and the illness was spreading from sibling to sibling from youngest to oldest. Only the children in the families were getting sick. Doctors thought it was a new form of Pneumonia but John suspected it was something completely different something much more sinister. He suspected it was something that had escaped him all those years ago.

The memory of the incident brought back those the feelings of guilt and terror. He remembered shamefully the incident that had very nearly cost him the lives of his children.

At the time he'd thought his oldest son capable. And he was, under normal circumstances, his children would have been fine. It wasn't the first time he had left Dean to take care of Sam while he went hunting. But it was the worst time and the results of that decision had haunted him and his oldest son ever since. How could he possibly have known there were two of them? He had taken the precaution of leaving his son's in a motel in a town forty miles away from the one he where he was hunting he thought they'd be safe. He was wrong… again.

He remembered the conversation he'd had with his son just before he left. "All right, you know the drill Dean, anybody calls you don't pick up," he'd told his son. "If it's me I'll ring once then call back. You got that?"

"Uh, huh," Dean had answered glibly. "Don't answer the phone unless it rings once first."

"Come on dude," he had replied. "Look alive this stuff's important."

"I know. It's just we've gone over it like a million times and ya, know I'm not stupid," Dean had told him.

"I know you're not, but it only takes one mistake you got that?" he had replied, not knowing that sentence… that remark had been the downfall of the relationship between him and his oldest son. "All right, If I'm not back Sunday night?" he continued without realizing his folly.

"Call pastor Jim," Dean said.

"Lock the door, the windows and close the shades," he said. "And most important?"

"Look after Sammy."

"If something tries to break in?" Again in his ignorance he had set his son up to fail. Dean was ten and while he'd had regular weapons training since he was five he was still only a child. He should never have been put in that situation. He wasn't ready for it.

"Shoot first and ask questions later."

"That's my man," John had replied and he had forgotten that it wasn't true. That Dean really was just a child. At least he was until the night John had returned. After that his son had grown up fast.

Sam seemed to have no memory of the incident at all. But for Dean it was the catalyst that had changed the relationship between father and son. After the incident with the shtriga Dean had seemed to turn from his son to his little soldier and John, not realizing at the time what was happening, had allowed it to continue. From that day on Dean looked at his father differently and John had no idea how to get the old Dean back. But he knew, in his heart, that it was his own fault. He had put too much responsibility on his son and Dean had not been ready.

He remembered coming back a day early after destroying the shtriga he'd been hunting. He had opened the door to the motel room and the sight that greeted him had haunted him for years afterwards.

Dean was standing at the door to the bedroom with the shot gun in hand. It was cocked and ready but his son didn't take the shot. The moment John looked in the room he understood why Dean hadn't fired. Sam was to close to the shtriga, if Dean took the shot Sammy would likely have been hit along with the shtriga.

"Get out of the way," he shouted harshly at him, too harshly. John had emptied his clip into the shtriga forcing it out the window and away from his sons. He dropped the empty gun on the bed and picked up his youngest child holding him close while tears had filled his eyes. "Sammy, Sammy, are you okay?" He yelled.

"Dad, what's going on?" Sam had asked in a sleep filled voice and relieved the dread that had been flowing through him in waves. God it been close. He had almost lost them both, because surely the creature would have turned on Dean as soon as it was finished with his brother.

"What happened?" he asked Dean as he rocked his little boy in his arms.

"I just went out, just for a second," Dean had admitted.

John's fear and anger had come out at the one person who was least to blame for the whole thing. "I told you not to leave this room. I told you not to let him out of your sight," he had yelled at Dean. All the while knowing it was himself he was angry with not his son. After all Dean was only a child and children made mistakes. But not nearly as many mistakes as John had made while trying to raise his children.

John had packed up the boys and taken them to Pastor Jim then come back to kill the second shtriga, but it was gone by the time he got back and even after a week of searching John had found no evidence of where it had gone.

And now, if he was correct the Shtriga was back and he was in no condition to hunt it. But he knew who else would like to kill the creature and so he sent his son a text message with the coordinates for Fitchburg, Wisconsin trusting that he and his brother would take care of the creature once and for all.

**A/N – Well, if you liked it please review and let me know. Oh, and thanks for all the wonderful reviews!**


	36. The Myth of the West

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

**Hunted**

_**John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons.**_

**Chapter Thirty six**

John spent a large portion of his final week of bed rest on the laptop searching for information on "The Colt". He prepared a list of museums, private collectors and firearms exhibitions for him to go to for more research. Some of the collections boasted documents, drawings and plans. He needed to find more details about the gun. Specifically a description of the gun and the name of the hunter it was made for would assist him in finding the gun.

Jefferson arrived at the end of the week and gave John a clean bill of health. He still didn't have his usual strength and stamina, but time and exorcise would correct that problem. He was now sporting several new scars across his chest, on his arm and on the side of his head. And, regardless of what his three friends said he knew he deserved every one of them.

The next day John packed his bags and loaded up the truck. He was headed to Hartford Connecticut home of Colt's Fire Arms Manufacturing Company and Wadsworth Athenaeum museum which housed the Elizabeth Colt Collection. He was hoping they had more information on "The Colt" or maybe, if he was lucky, he would find the gun itself. There are more than 1,000 objects, photographs, and documents, including Sam Colt's personal collection of firearms and the entire original contents of Elizabeth Colt's 1860s vintage gallery at the museum.

"Daniel," John said to his friend. "Thank you… for everything."

"Anytime John," he replied. "You take care of yourself, no hunting yet, you're not ready. Remember an important part of being a hunter is knowing when _not_ to hunt."

John grinned, "Yes sir," he replied.

"I'm going to continue the research from this end, see if I can find out if the gun will work on it on the demon."

"I appreciate any help you can give me on this Daniel." John said and sighed. "I need this to end. I can't keep this up much longer."

Daniel's face turned serious and he replied sternly, "You'll do what you have to do for as long as it takes. You're not a quitter John."

John looked at him nodded and replied, "Yeah, I will… Goodbye Daniel."

"Be safe John," Daniel replied.

John watched Daniel in the rear view mirror as he pulled away from the cabin. Little did he realize it was the last time he would ever see his friend and mentor alive.

Two days later he checked into a small motel in Hartford and began a weeklong study into the life and works of Samuel Colt. Each day started with his usual web searches a cub a black coffee and then a trip to either the museum or manufacturing company.

The man was amazing. Sam Colt had developed the first reliable revolving cylinder hand gun at the age of twenty one. As a direct result of his invention and the marketing and sales success that followed, Sam Colt had achieved a level of both fame and fortune known to few other inventors. As a part of his marketing scheme Sam Colt made more than a thousand of those guns specifically for many individuals. He gave substance to each of these guns by hand carving the parts for them and etching into them designs that matched the personality and profession of the person for whom it was designed.

That made John's job so much harder. The museum had over six hundred of those guns on display each of them with a description card telling who it was designed for. He didn't think any of them were the one he was looking for, none of them seemed right.

At the Colt Fire Arms Manufacturing Company he found documents and designs for many of Colt's vintage weapons. He also found another collection of guns, but again none of them seemed to be the one he wanted. However, while at the manufacturing company he did discover that in 1900 Elizabeth Colt donated a series of personal diaries written by her husband to the Connecticut State library.

It was in one of those diaries that John found the information he was looking for about the gun. The diary included a beautifully drawn diagram of the gun. The gun was intricately carved with a pentagram on the wooden grip. The design of holly leaves was etched into the metal mechanisms and the inscription on the barrel was in Latin. It said: Non Timebo Mala, which translated to "I will fear no evil". Each of the thirteen silver bullets was numbered.

The entry in the diary was both interesting and informative. It sent John reeling inside when he learned the identity of the man for whom the gun was created.

_Today I designed a very special gun. It is so special that I have named it the Myth of the West. Tomorrow with the help of Catholic Priest, a Wicca Priestess and someone… else I will create the gun. Tomorrow Halley's Comet will reach its zenith. The strength of the Comet will add to the strength of the rituals we will use to create the gun. When it is done the power of the gun, together with the bullets that were made from consecrated silver and strengthened with rituals of Wicca, Blessings of the Church and rituals of another kind will destroy anything. The man for whom I am making this gun is a hunter, but not just a hunter. Dale Elkins hunts creatures of the most evil type…_

"Son of a bitch," John said to himself as he left the library and went back to his motel room. He suspected the man was related to Daniel. He called Daniel but got no answer. John opened the laptop and began a search for Dale Elkins. He was surprised to find Daniel Elkins name come up at one of the search results. Clicking on the website he was devastated to learn that his friend had died. According to the article he was mauled by a bear inside his cabin. John packed his bags and left immediately for Manning Colorado.

When he arrived at Daniels cabin John didn't know if he should be happy or upset, but he grinned. His son's were already there and we inside searching the cabin. John stayed outside hidden in the trees and watched them expertly work through the cabin. He waited for them to leave. He followed them expecting them to go to a motel or perhaps a roadhouse so he was a bit surprised when they stopped instead at the local post office. John knew now what they had found. Somehow Daniel had left a message and the boys had found it.

He had not intended to contact his boys, but he needed to know what was in the letter they had pulled from the post office box. If he was right then that letter would contain the information John needed to find "The Colt."

He waited until the boys were in the Impala and he watched to be sure they had not been followed and then he walked up and tapped on the driver's side door startling both his sons.

"Dad," Dean said in shocked surprise.

As he climbed into the back seat of the car Sammy asked, "Dad what are you doing here? Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm okay. I read the news about Daniel and I got here as fast as I could." John replied. "I saw you two up at his place."

"Why didn't you come in dad?" Sam asked him.

"You know why," he replied. "I had to make sure you weren't followed by anyone… or anything. Nice job of covering your tracks by the way."

"We learned from the best," Dean told him with a grin.

"Wait," Sam said. "So you came all the way out here for this Elkins guy?"

"Yeah, he was…he was a good man. Taught me a hell of a lot about hunting."

"You never talked about him," Sam said.

"We had… we had kind of a falling out." John replied not wanting to go into details, certainly not wanting to tell them how much time he had recently spent with the man and why. "I should look at that," he told Dean indicating the envelope.

Dean handed him the letter and opened it and began to read.

_John, _

_If you're reading this, I'm already dead. First let me apologize for not telling you about the gun. I have it, locked inside the safe at my cabin. I intended to give it to you as soon as I was sure it would work on the demon you were chasing. The Colt has been handed down in my family from father to son for generations. It hasn't been used in three generations, so I don't know if it really will work as the legends say it will. I have no children of my own, but I want you to have the gun. Take it and use it to save your family and yourself. The combination to the safe is 38-21-03._

_Good luck and Good hunting._

_Daniel Elkins. _

"That son of a bitch," he John said after reading it.

"Dad what is it?" Dean asked.

"He had it the whole time," he replied.

"Had what?"

"When you searched the place did ya… did ya see a gun, an antique… a colt revolver?" John asked excitedly. "Did ya see it?"

"Ah, there was an old case," Dean told him. "But it was empty."

"They have it," John said.

"You mean whatever killed Elkins?"

Then John made a decision that he hoped he would not regret latter. He chose to involve his children in the search for the gun. John knew that he wasn't in the best physical shape and he knew Elkins was right. A good hunter knows when not to hunt. But John needed that gun and he didn't think he could fight off a nest of Vampires by himself. He needed help and his son's were here. It would take too long to get someone else. Getting out of the car John told them, "We need to pick up the trail."

"Wait, you want us to come with you?" Sam asked shocked.

"If Elkins was telling the truth we've got to find this gun," He told his son.

"The gun. Why?" Sam asked.

"Because it's important that's why," John snapped at his youngest son.

"Dad we don't even know what these things are yet," Sam said.

"They were what Daniel Elkins killed best," John told him. "Vampires."

He could see the shocked look on the faces of both his boys and he couldn't blame them really, he'd never taught them about vampires. They'd never run across them before.

"Vampires?" Dean asked incredulously. "I thought there was no such thing."

"You never even mentioned them dad," Sam said.

"I thought they were extinct. I thought Elkins and others had wiped them out… I was wrong," he told them. And he realized he was wrong about a lot of things. He just hoped he wasn't wrong about getting his son's to help him find this gun.

**A/N Sorry it took so long to post this chapter. I had to do a bit of research for this one. I hope you enjoy it! Please read and review. Thanks again for taking the time to enjoy my work.**


	37. Reunited

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Thirty Seven**

As John drove back towards Elkins cabin the boys followed and he worried about the decision he had made to include his son's in the hunt for the gun. He had been wrong about so many things but he was very afraid that this time was going to be the worst. If they knew what the gun could do, what he needed it for, they would not let him go after he had the gun. Especially Sam, his youngest son wanted to be a part of the fight against this demon and he understood why, but it terrified John.

He knew his boys thought this search, this fight was for revenge and part of it was. John did want revenge for Mary. But more than that, he wanted his children to be safe. This demon wanted to kill him. It wanted to kill Dean, but worse than that, it wanted to take Sammy alive. He knew that his young son would never be safe from the demon until it was destroyed and since Sam would never be safe neither would Dean because Dean would always put himself between his brother and whatever threatened him.

John had to come up with a plan to make sure his boys would not _want_ to be with him and the only thing he could think of was going to hurt like hell. But if it worked it would be worth it. He had to make his son's angry enough with him that they would not want to be with him. He could do it. He knew how to push his sons buttons especially Sam's.

When they arrived back at Elkins cabin he had the boys search the outside of the cabin and look for the trail. John went inside, into Daniels office and stopped when he saw the blood stains. John shook his head. He should have stayed. If he had not gone to Hartford he might have been able to help his friend. It hurt John to know he was once again responsible at least in part for the death of someone he cared about.

John opened the safe behind the desk. Inside he found several old journals and an envelope. A quick glance at the journal's proved them to be those of Daniels father and grandfather. The envelope contained Daniels last will and testament. John reviewed the will quickly and was shocked and surprised to find that even though the will had been written and notarized six years ago Daniel had made John his sole beneficiary. Even when they weren't speaking Daniel had still cared for John.

Unshed tears filled his eyes as John searched the mess on Daniels desk until he found what he was looking for. John had known his friend was working on something when he'd left for Hartford, but Daniel had not told John what it was. Daniels notes on the case he'd been working on were buried under several layers of papers, notebooks, and pads and topped with Daniels journal. He took the journal and the notes. Pocketing the notes inside his jacket he took one last look around and left.

Dean and Sam were waiting for him when he came out. They were leaning on the car talking earnestly to each other but John could not hear what they were saying. With a final glance at his brother Dean shook his head and turned to his father. "We followed the tracks to the road dad, they had a car waiting. We're not going to get anywhere trying to follow them that way."

"Yeah," he told his oldest son "I was pretty sure that's what we'd find. In the morning we'll need to check with the police and newspapers."

"What for Dad?" Sam asked.

"Missing persons," his father replied. "It's nearly morning you boys already have a room here?"

"Yes sir," They replied together.

"Let's go get some sleep," he told them heading to the truck.

This time he followed them and when they arrived at the motel he declined to get a room for himself instead he told the boys they would take turns sleeping with one person awake and listening to the police scanner.

"Shouldn't we be making some wooden stakes?" Dean asked his father.

John laughed at his son and replied, "No son. That stuff's not true. In fact, most vampire lore is crap." He told his sons. "A cross won't repel them, sunlight won't kill them. And neither will a stake to the heart. But the blood lust, that part's true. They need fresh human blood to survive. They were once people so you won't know it's a vampire until it's too late."

"Well then how do you kill them?" Sam asked.

"You have to cut their head off," John replied. "You boys get some sleep. I'll take first watch."

Sam and Dean lay down on the beds fully dressed and John watched as they drifted off to sleep. Dean lay on his back his hand under his pillow and John knew that if he lifted the pillow he would find a gun or knife. His oldest son was always prepared for a fight. Even in his sleep he never totally relaxed. For the first couple of hours each time John moved Dean's eyes would fly open note his father in the room then close again.

After a short time of quiet undisturbed sleep Sam began to toss fitfully on his bunk and unless John missed his guess he was having a nightmare. Dean woke to the sounds of his brother's restlessness. He nodded to his father and set his hand on Sam's shoulder without saying anything. Within seconds Sam stopped tossing and relaxed back into a peaceful sleep. When he was settled Dean lay back down and was asleep in minutes. John smiled. Dean took care of Sam, no matter what he needed.

John pulled out the notes Daniel had made on the pack of vampires he was hunting. He had the location of their nest narrowed down to a few miles of sparsely populated land out towards the west of their current location. John pulled out the map and made a few notes then put it and Daniels notes in his pocket. He took out Daniels journal and leafed through it. He sighed as he remembered some of the hunts Daniel had noted in his journal.

He set the journal down and picked up the radio and listened as the police call came over it. _Unit 22 let me confirm. Mile marker 41 abandoned car. You need a work up. Copy that. Possible 207. Better get forensics down here._

John knew that a 207 was a kidnapping and he knew it was the vampires. The location was right in the middle of their hunting grounds. He set the radio down, grabbed Daniels journal and went to his son's. He tapped each of them on the foot and said, "Sam… Dean, let's go."

"Um hum," Dean mumbled.

"I picked up a police call," John said.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"Couple called 911. Found a body in the street. Cops got there everyone was missing. It's the vampires." John looked at his young son. He hated doing it, but now was the time to start putting his plan into action.

"Ah… how do you know?" Sam asked and John could tell that he was a bit annoyed.

Rather then answer John said, "Just… follow me okay." He knew that the best way to get his youngest angry with him was to keep him in the dark about everything. Sam was the one who always had to question everything and he didn't like not knowing. Hell the kid was asking why at the tender age of two! The real scary thing was that the boy remembered everything John told him. He was a bit like a knowledge sponge.

He went out to the truck and waited for his boys. He put his head in his hands. This was going to be a lot harder then he thought. He felt like a real bastard already. He saw his boys coming out of the room and steeled himself. Time to work a bit on Dean. He tossed the journal to Dean and said, "Let Sam drive. You check this out. It should have what you need to know in it." Dean raised his eyebrows at his father but said nothing. He looked at Sam who was looking at him with a look of surprise on his face.

When they arrived at the scene of the disappearance John told the boys to wait at the car while he went and spoke to the police officers. He could see the annoyance in Sam's eyes as he walked away. He could see the signs. It wouldn't be long before Sam's anger got the best of him. John just hoped he could hold of the explosion of emotions until after he had the gun. John would also have to remember when he did explode that he did this on purpose.

On his way to speak with the officers John saw something on the ground and picked it up. He recognized it immediately. He spoke briefly with the officers then returned to where Sam and Dean were leaning on the Impala.

"What do you got?" Dean asked.

"It was them all right. Looks like their heading west. We're going to have to double back to get around that detour."

"How can you be so sure?" Sam asked his father in annoyance.

"Sam," Dean cautioned his brother.

"I just want to know we are going in the right direction," Sam snapped at Dean. Then looked to his father for a reply.

John looked at Sam sadly. This whole business was going to hurt the boy. John hardened his emotions. Better hurt then dead or worse he reminded himself. "We are," he told Sam.

"How do you know?" Sam questioned.

John was silent for a second then pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to Dean. He explained his actions to Dean not Sam. "I found this," he told Dean.

"It looks like a vampire fang," Dean said incredulously as Sam looked over his shoulder.

"No fangs, teeth a second set descends when they attack," he explained to Dean. Then he looked squarely at his youngest son and asked, "Any more questions?"

Sam was silent, barely looking at his father. He was hurt by John's actions.

"Alright, let's get out of here we're losing daylight," he said walking away from his son's. He glanced at the Impala and said, "Hey Dean, why don't you touch up your car before you get rust? I wouldn't have given you the damn thing if I thought you were going to ruin it." Dean was much harder to anger and when John did get him angry enough he would need to be careful because an angry Dean was a very dangerous Dean.

He got into his truck and left with the boys following in the car. He pulled out the map and Daniels notes. He had a good idea of where they were going now. Darkness had fallen by the time the came to the search area he had defined on the map. He called Dean and said, "We're going to get off at the next exit and start searching. I'm pretty sure they're in the area, and that exit it the only way in and out, but we are going to have to do a building to building search. If they are in there we'll find them. So next exit, okay?"

"Yeah Dad I got it," Dean says then hung up the phone.

John was looking in the rear view mirror when he saw the Impala speed up. Sam passed the truck and slid to a stop blocking the road. Then he jumped out and strode angrily towards the truck. John took a deep breath and reminded himself that he wanted this. He caused this confrontation intentionally.

**A/N Well? How am I doing? Please review and let me know. Thanks for taking the time to read what I have been enjoying writing!**


	38. Anger Management

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Thirty Eight**

John opened the car door and got out he stormed up to his son. "Sam," he said. Then once again recalling his plan he yelled, "What the hell was that?"

"We need to talk," Sam yelled at his father.

"About what?" John questioned him firmly.

"About everything," Sam said fiercely, "Where we going dad? What's the big deal about this gun?"

"Sammy," Dean tried to interrupt. "Come on we can Q & A after we kill all the vampires." Trust Dean to try and calm down the situation, but John couldn't let that happen, not yet.

"Your brother's right," he told his youngest son with false anger. "We don't have time for this."

"Last time we saw you, you said it was too dangerous to be together now, out of the blue you need our help? Now obviously something big is going down and we want to know what," Sam yelled at him.

John was silent for a few seconds admiring the ease with which his young son hat put the facts together and come up with the big picture. "Get back in the car," he told his son with quiet intensity.

"No," Sam told him shaking his head.

John stepped closer to his son. "I said get back in the damn car," he repeated.

Sam was not in the least bit intimidated by his father and John had to wonder when that had happened. "Yeah," he told him, staring down at him. "And I said no."

That's when Dean jumped in again and tried to stop the argument. "All right," he said looking at his little brother. "You made your point tough guy. Look, we're all tired we can talk about this later." Then he grabbed Sam by the shirt and shoved him towards the car forcing the issue closed. "Sammy, I mean it, come on."

Sammy turned towards the car at his brothers' instance, but he under his breath John heard him mutter, "This is why I left in the first place."

"What did you say?" John said in shock. When Sam had left for Stanford John was sure it was just because he wanted to go to school. He had no idea that one of the reasons Sam had left was because of him. Even during the horrific argument that had followed Sam's declaration of his intent to go to school his son had never blamed John. But the simple statement he had just heard was like a slap in the face.

Sam spun around to face his father again. "You heard me," he replied.

"Yeah, you left," John said stepping closer to Sam. "Your brother and me, we needed you. You walked away." As he said it all the hurt and pain he had felt that night when his son had left them returned. He forgot the fear he'd had for his son's safety. He forgot the pride too at his son's accomplishment. He only remembered the pain. He got right in his son's face and looked him in the eye as he repeated, "You walked away."

"Stop it both of you!" Dean said trying to split them apart again but John had eyes only for his youngest son. Without even realizing it Sam had just hurt him worse then if he'd stuck a knife in his chest. The pain was so intense it was almost physical. He had never imagined his son was so angry with him. Sure, they'd had fights sometimes before Sam had left, but John had never realized that his son hated him. Not until now.

Then Sam slapped him again, this time with a truth that was his own damn fault, his own making. Because in his anger back then during the fight they had, John had said something he had never meant to say, something he had never taken back. Now Sam was throwing it right back in his face, right where it belonged. And John realized he deserved it. "You're the one who said don't come back, Dad," he screamed at John. "You're the one who closed that door. Not me. You were just pissed off you couldn't control me anymore!"

John grabbed Sam by the front of his shirt with both hands and pulled him closer. He held his son silently for a few minutes as he allowed the pain to wash over him, while he gained control of his emotions. He was about to tell Sam that he was right that he was the worst possible excuse for a father that anyone could possibly be stuck with. He was going to apologize somehow for everything he had done wrong.

That's when Dean jumped in and physically separated the two men and shoved them both away from each other. "Stop it, I said stop it," Dean demanded. Stop it, that's enough!"

And John allowed Dean to separate them even though he shouldn't have. He should have taken the time right there to correct the single biggest mistake he had ever made with his young son… but he didn't. Instead he took a step back away from Sam and then he received another shock, this time from Dean. He looked directly into his fathers' eyes and said, "It means you too." It was the first time ever that Dean had stood up to him and it surprised the hell out of John.

Sam got back into the car at his brother's urging and John walked back to the truck and got in. He sat in the truck silently recalling the entire argument with his young son and he realized that somehow, sometime before his son's decision to go to college he had hurt Sam. He had done something that had made the boy hate him and he realized it was a feeling he could not handle. Then he realized he would never be able to go through with his plan to alienate his son's more then he already had. He would have to find a different way. He would simply have to make them understand why they couldn't help him with this fight.

His decision reached John put the truck in gear and led the boys to the area they would need to begin searching. It was farm country, houses were few and far between, but there were many barns and outbuilding that would need to be searched.

It was after sunrise when they found the barn the vampires were using as a nest. The three hunters sat on a small rise overlooking the large red building. "Son of a bitch," Dean said to John. "So, they're really not afraid of the sun."

Sam said nothing. He had not spoken with John at all since their argument earlier on the road. Instead he sat in silence, anger still etched on his face.

"Na," John told Dean. "Direct sunlight hurts like a nasty sunburn. The only way to kill them is by beheading. And yeah, they sleep during the day, but it doesn't mean they won't wake up."

"So I guess walking right in is not our best option." Dean said.

"Actually," John replied with a grin. "That's the plan."

They backed away from the rise and went back to the vehicles that were parked out of sight of the barn. John opened his weapon locker and Dean did the same with the one in his trunk. "Hey dad," Dean said, "I've got an extra machete if you need one."

John reached into his weapons box and pulled out a machete. He removed its sheath and looked at his son. "I think I'm okay, thanks," he replied.

Dean looked at his fathers' large shiny new weapon and said, "Wow."

John lowered his eyes and sighed. Sam's silence during the night had not gone unnoticed by him. And the anger was still coming off his young son in waves. John had to find a way of reconciling with his son. He had to… he could not leave things the way they were. He knew Sam, he knew what was going to ease his young son's anger and pain and so he chose to give him what he needed even though he also knew it was going to make thing much harder for him later. He looked at his children and said. "So…you boys really wanna know about this colt?"

His sons, and especially Sam, look at him in shock. "Yes sir," Sam replied.

"It's just a story, a legend really," he said turning to his sons. "Well, I thought it was. I never really believed it until I read Daniels letter."

He sheathed his machete and his boys turned to listen to him. "Back in eighteen thirty five when Haley's Comet was over head, the same night those men died at the Alamo they say Samuel Colt made a gun," he told them. "A special gun. He made it for a hunter. A man like us, only on horseback. The story goes he made thirteen bullets. This hunter, he used the gun a half dozen times before he disappeared the gun along with him. Till somehow Daniel got his hands on it. They say… they say this gun can kill anything."

"Kill anything like supernatural anything?" Dean asked.

"Like the demon," Sam replied immediately picking up on the importance of the weapon.

"Yeah," John told him. "The demon. Ever since I picked up its trail I've been looking for a way to destroy that thing. Find the gun… we may have it."

**A/N There you go another chapter done, though I'm still not done with the episode "Dead Man's Blood". Hopefully one more chapter will finish this episode, then comes the really hard ones. Especially when Daddy Winchester becomes possessed by the demon! Thanks again for taking the time to read. If you enjoyed it or even you didn't please review and let me know what you think!**


	39. Rescue

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Thirty Nine**

All three Winchesters entered the barn where the vampires are sleeping. John left his boys to free the prisoners as he began to search the stalls and tack rooms to find the gun. He quietly opened door after door until he spotted the gun hanging from a holster in the same room a pair of vampires were sleeping. They lay on a mattress thrown on the floor of the room.

He slipped quietly into the room. He was careful not to let the steps that lead down to the main floor squeak under his feet. He stopped at a sudden wrenching sound from the main room. No doubt his son's were trying to free the prisoners.

John watched the sleeping vampires as they rolled over at the noise. They didn't wake so he continued down and reached for the Colt. His fingers had just slipped around the grip of the gun when the silence was suddenly broken by an ear piercing scream.

"Sam!" he heard Dean yell.

John looked towards the main room of the barn. He never saw the blow that sent him reeling flying across the small room to slam his back against the wall. He slid down the wall landing practically on top of an old empty liquor bottle. He picked up the bottle and threw it at window breaking it. Bright sunlight blazed into the room as he yelled, "Boys, run!"

John got up and ran out of the back of the barn. He heard Dean yelling for him as he came around to where the vehicles were parked. He saw the relief on the faces of both his children as he came up the trail. Sam and Dean turned and would have continued to run to the car if John had not said, "They won't follow." At the questioning look on his son's faces John explained, "Once a vampire has your scent it's for life."

"What do we do now?" Dean asked his father.

"You've got to find the nearest funeral home that's what," he told Dean.

His boys look at each other in surprise. "What for?" Sam asked.

"Blood," John replied. "We need the blood of a dead man. It acts like a poison to vampires it will weakening them long enough for us to kill them."

John looked at his sons. He needed time alone with Sam to talk to him and find a way to make right what he had so badly screwed up.

"Dean," he said to his oldest son. "You go get the blood. Sam and I'll meet you back at the motel."

The ride back to the motel with Sam in the car was quiet, both father and son lost in their own thoughts. John was considering how to break through to his son, how was he going to repair what he had so easily damaged.

When they arrived John sat at the table that was filled with all the research they had been working on. He opened Daniel's great grandfather's journal and skimmed thought it. Actually paying very little attention to the journal, but watching his son pacing back and forth.

"I should have gone with him," Sam said quietly as though speaking to himself.

John was sure the reason for Sam wanting to be with Dean had little to do with him not believing his brother could handle the task. He knew it was just that Sam did not want to be alone with him. The awkward silence that hung in the air between them was getting to him.

"Dean's got it," John told him in part to ease his son's mind about his brother and in part to fill the silence with something.

Sam stopped and looked at his father. "It shouldn't be taking this long, I should go help."

Now was the time. If he was going to fix his relationship with Sam he had to start now. "Sammy," he said.

"Yeah," replied Sam.

It had taken him the whole trip back to the motel to figure out what to say to his son and he didn't know this was it, but it was a starting point. "I don't think I ever told you this but…," he said. "The day you were born you know what I did?"

Sam was taken back by the sudden nostalgia. His father rarely spoke of the time before his mom died. "No."

"I put a hundred bucks into a savings account for you," he told his son with a smile while he remembered. "I did the same thing for your brother. It was a college fund and every month I'd put in another hundred dollars until..." He stopped for a second before continuing. "…anyway, my point is Sam. This is never the life I wanted for you."

Sam stopped and listened to his father and as he listened he understood what his father was doing, what he was trying to do. It was his way of apologizing. Something he had never expected to hear. When his dad finished he asked, "Then why'd you get so made when I left?" Sam sat down at the opposite end of the table and listened. This was the most he had heard his father say at one time in so long.

"You gotta understand something," John said. "After your mother passed all I saw was evil, everywhere and all I cared about was keeping you boys alive. I wanted you prepared… ready. So somewhere along the line I ah… I stopped being your father and I… ah, I became your drill sergeant. So when you said you wanted to go away to school. All I could think about… my only thought was that you were going to be alone. Vulnerable. Sammy. It just… it never occurred to me what you wanted. I just couldn't accept the fact that you and me… we're just different.

Sam hung his head and laughed sadly thinking how wrong his father was with that statement.

"What?" John asked confused by his son's cheerless laughter.

Sam looked at his father and shook his head miserably, "We're not different… Not anymore," he sighed then continued. "With what happened to Mom and Jess…" he laughed sorrowfully again, "Hell… we probably have a lot more in common than just about anyone."

John had never even thought anything like that. He smiled at his son and said, "I guess your right son." But he wished with all his heart that they had not had that common thread between them.  
"Hey dad?" Sam asked tilting his head to the side. "What ever happened to that college fund?"

"Spent it on ammo," John replied hoping his son would understand.

Sam's smile widened into a grin and he laughed in understanding. His son's laughter, even with the gloomy discussion they'd been having, was so good to hear that John laughed too. They were both still laughing when Dean returned from the funeral home.

Dean had expected to walk in and find his father and brother at each other's throats so when he found them laughing he grinned with relief. "Wow," he said walking up to them. "Man, heavy security to protect a bunch of dead guys." He puts his keys in his pocket.

"You get it?" John asked.

Dean pulled a paper bag out of his jacket pocket. He reached into the bag and lifted out a bottle of blood. He handed it to his father with a grin.

John sighs and smiles, "You know what to do." He tells his sons.

Later that night they set up an ambush using Dean as bait. Dean was standing at his car on a dark road with the hood open appearing to look at the engine. John and Sam wait in the woods not far away. John tapped his young son on the shoulder as a vampire appeared behind Dean. They watched as Dean turned and spoke with the female that John had decided was the leaders mate.

Sam raised his crossbow to fire but John stopped him, "She won't be alone. That's the leaders mate. He'd never let her go anywhere without protection. Wait until we find the other one." Sam nodded and continued to search the darkness for other vampires.

They were too far away to hear what Dean and the vampire were saying, but as they saw the female say something and knew Dean replied. Whatever he'd said was not what she wanted to hear. She suddenly reached out and smacked Dean across the face hard enough to send him plunging to the ground.

"Damn when is that boy going to learn." John said. "You don't piss off the evil creatures."

Sam laughed quietly, "Especially when they're stronger than you."

John grinned at Sam and replied, "Son, they're all stronger then us. That's why we have to be smarter."

"Well, it's working for you and me, but I'm not sure Dean gets it," Sam replied.

Another Vampire came out of the shadows and walked up behind the female as Dean tried to get back on his feet. The female decided to help him and with one hand placed under his chin she lifted Dean right off his feet.

John decided they couldn't wait any longer and as the female vampire pulled Dean in for a kiss he and Sam cut loose with their crossbows. They flew true and each of them hit their marks as arrows pierced their backs and protruded from their chests.

The female released Dean and turns to face her attackers. "Barely even stings," she told John who is walking up. Sam went to the male vampire and raised his machete over his head standing guard.

"Give it time sweetheart," John replied with a grin. "Arrow's soaked in dead mans blood. That's like poison to you isn't it?"

Kate's smile faded and her eyes rolled up into her head and she fell backwards. Dean caught her and lifted her up into his arms.

"Load her up," John told Dean. "I'll take care of this one." He motioned for Sam to follow Dean then thinking of how these creatures had killed his friend he removed the vampires head with one swift blow to the neck.

When John caught up to the boys they already had the vampire tied to a tree. The fire John told them to make was blazing as John went to his weapons locker at the back of the truck. Dean joined him and John gave him a bag out the back. "Toss this on the fire. Its saffron, skunks cabbage and trillion it will block our scent and hers until were ready."

"Stuff stinks," Dean said.

"Well," John replied. "That's the idea. Dust your close with the ashes and you'll stand a chance of not being detected."

"You sure they'll come after her?" Sam asked his father.

"Yeah, vampires mate for life. She means more to the leader then the gun. But the blood sickness is going to wear off soon so you don't have a lot of time."

"A half hour aught to do it," Sam replied sheathing his machete.

John glanced at his boys. This was the part they were not going to like, but he had to make them understand. "And then I want you out of the area as fast as you can."

"But…" Sam said.

"Wait Dad," Dean said. "You can't take care them all yourself."

John sighed, it wasn't going to be an easy fight and he knew it. "I'll have her," John told them. "And the Colt."

"But after," Sam said looking at his father. "We're going to meet up right?"

John hung his head he because he knew his earlier attempt to repair the damage to their relationship was going to be tossed aside now and his son was going to get something else to hate him for.

"…use the gun together," Sam continued. "Right."

John looked away from his son silently not willing to say the words.

"You're leaving again aren't you?" Sam said shaking his head at his father. "You still want to go after the demon alone."

John stayed silent, trying to figure out how to explain this to his young son so he would understand.

"You know, I don't get you," Sam said with quiet intensity. "You can't treat us like this."

"Like what?" John asked taken aback.

"Like children," Sam said.

"You are my children, I'm trying to keep you safe," John replied to Sam.

It wasn't Sam who replied to that statement though, it was Dean. "Dad," he said to his father. "All due respect, but that's a bunch of crap."

John and Sam both look at Dean in shock. "Excuse me?" John replied.

"You know what Sammy and I've been hunting," Dean said then shrugged. "Hell you've sent us on a few hunting trips yourself. Can't be that worried about keeping us safe."

John had only sent them on hunts he knew they could handle. He had never once sent them on a hunt that he felt was beyond their abilities to complete. "It's not the same thing Dean," John replied.

"Well, what is it… why do you want us out of the big fight?" Dean asked.

"This demon… it's a bad son of bitch," John replied. "I can't make the same moves if I'm worried about keeping you alive."

"You mean you can't be as reckless!" Dean said.

Good God the boy was quick. He might not have his brothers' book smarts, but Dean had a whole lifetime full of street smart. John knew that there was very little chance that he would make it out of this fight with the demon alive but that didn't matter. He had to keep his son's safe and if it took his death to do that then he was more than willing to make that exchange. As long as he took the demon down with him. "Look, I don't expect to make it out of this fight in one piece… Your mother's death, it almost killed me. I can't watch my children die too. I won't."

"What happens if you die?" Dean asked. "Dad what happens if you die and we could have done something about it?"

John is silent. He could not tell his son that he knew they would be fine. The past year was proof enough that they would be able to continue without him.

"You know I been thinking," Dean said. "I think maybe Sammy's right about this one. I think we should do this together. We're stronger as a family dad. We just are… you know it."

John is silent looks at the boys in silent sadness then says, "We're running out of time. You do your job and then you get out of the area. That's an order," he said and walked away ending the conversation. He would not argue with them. He was done with that.

John untied the vampire from the tree and put her in the truck. He looked at his son's who were watching him intently.

"Dad," Dean said.

"Just do it," John said and closed the door and drove away. He drove slowly passed the barn the vampires were using as a nest knowing that the females scent would be strong enough for the leader to recognize. He soon caught sight, in the rear view mirror, of a pair of cars following him. He led them as far away from his boys as he could. Giving them the time they rescue the prisoners from the vampires nest.

Suddenly the cars disappeared from the mirror, but as John rounds a turn he finds them parked in the road facing him. Four vampires stand in front of the cars ready for him. John stopped the truck several yards from them.

"Get out," the leader demanded.

John opened the door and complied. Instead of going to the front of the truck though he stayed next to the door. He held the rope attached to his prisoner with one hand and in the other he had a commando knife.

"Who are you?" the leader asked.

"Names Winchester," John replied

"Where are your friends?"

"Cleaning out your nest," John said stalling to give his boys as much time as possible. Once he had the gun and was away the vampires would swoop down on their nest and try to catch the boys.

"Where's Kate?" the leader asked.

John pulled on the rope dragging Kate out of the truck. "Come here sweetheart," he said pulling her into a bear hug and putting the knife to her throat. Then he forced her to walk to the front of the truck with him.

"Kate?" the leader asked. "You alright?"

Kate replied weakly, "Dead mans blood."

"You son of a bitch," the leader replied hatred glowing in his eyes.

"I want the colt," John told him. "Elkins gun… trade."

"Is that what this is all about?" he replied. "I mean you can't shoot us all, right. We'll kill you."

John grinned at him. He'd been hunting vampires for a very long time and even though it had been a while since he'd found any he was still very good at killing them… without the gun. "Oh, I don't need it for you," he told the leader. "I'm saving it for something else. Put the colt down, or she goes first."

"All right, just don't hurt her," he replied setting the gun down.

"Back up," John told him. "Further."

John reached down never taking his eyes from the leader and picked up the gun. "That's a nice move," the vampire said as John stood up. "You almost made it."

John barely had time for the comment to sink in before Kate spun and smacked John across the face with her tied hands. He was sent careening into the truck and dropped the gun. Before he could recover it the leader was on him and with a backhanded slap he sent John sailing over the hood of the truck. His head smacked into the car with such force that he was unconscious before he smashed into the doors frame breaking the glass and landing in a heap on the pavement beside his truck.

His eyes fluttered once before they opened and he knew he something was wrong. He had blacked out long enough for the leader to have him but something was happening at the front of the truck. He spotted the Colt on the ground and picked it up. When he stood up he was shocked to find Sam in the clutches of the leader. The leader was facing away from John watching as Dean brandished a machete menacingly at him. The other vampires were down arrows pierced their chests.

"Don't," the vampire said, "I'll break his neck. Put the blade down." He was choking Sam who was noisily trying to get air into his lungs as the vampire tightened his grip.

It took John a moment to gain his older son's attention and motion for him to put down the machete. John held the gun pointed at the head of the leader, but he didn't have a clean shot.

"You people," the vampire said to Dean still not aware that John was behind him. "Why can't you just leave us alone? We have as much right to live as you do."

"I don't think so," John replied drawing the vampires' attention. As the creature turned to face the new threat John pulled the trigger and shot in the center of the forehead. Sam jerked away and Dean caught him and kept him from falling. The Winchesters watched in silence at the Vampire fell to its knees, then to its face and died.

"Luther!" Kate shouted and was going to attack but the other female grabbed her and pulled her back to the car.

John stared at his boys. They had saved his life of that there was no doubt. If they had not disobeyed him and followed anyway he would be dead and the gun would still be in the hands of the vampires who would have left with it. His boys had never before ignored a direct order and it made him realized something. They were no longer boys. They had grown into men. Men he was proud to have as his sons.

After they dispatched the incapacitated vampires that remained and cleaned up the scene Sam looked at his father and said, "Dad, you have to trust us sometime. We can do this… we can. Because together we make a good team."

"Whatever you choose to do dad," Dean said. "Promise us you'll be careful, we still need you."

"I will. I promise," he told his son's. "You boys… you be careful too." Then he hugged each of them before getting into his truck and driving away. John didn't want to leave his son's he wanted to stay but he was very afraid of what might happen to them.

As he drove the things his friends had told him came back to him. The things they'd said as he lay healing from the demons attack.

"_We think it would be better, safer for all of you, if you teamed back up with your boys." Daniel had told him. "You have trained them well and we think you give them less credit then they deserve."_

_Bobby said, "You three are strongest when you work together as a team… Those boys are a lot tougher then you think John. Don't sell them short. They could help you."_

John pulled the truck over to the side of the road. Maybe they were right. Maybe Dean was right. They were stronger as a family he knew that. It was his fear that was stopping him from doing what he wanted to do. Then John realized something else. He had been allowing fear to rule his decisions for the past year. When had he become so weak?

He knew the answer to that he didn't even have to think about it, not really. It was when he left his sons. That was when he became so weak he could not function properly. He turned the truck around and parked in front of the boys' room.

When he walked in they were angrily packing their bags, getting ready for another road trip. John walked in, hands in his pockets, "So boys," he said.

They turned to look at him. Neither had expected him to come back. "Yes sir," Sam replied wondering what was going on.

"You ignored a direct order back there," John said sternly.

"Yes sir," Sam replied again somewhat more stiffly this time.

It was Dean that surprised him again. "Yeah," he said "But we saved your ass." John realized his son was still upset with him, but he was also growing a backbone where his dad was concerned.

Sam looked at Dean with a shocked expression on his face but he remained silent.

"Your right," John replied startling them both.

"I am?" Dean asked in surprise. He had been expecting his father to be angry, not agree with him.

"It scares the hell out of me," John told them. "You two are all I got. But I guess we are stronger as a family. So we go after this damn thing… together."

"Yes sir," his son's replied in unison.

**A/N That took longer then I expected and it's a long chapter. I hope you enjoyed reading it. Please review and let me know what you think. Enjoy!**


	40. Salvation

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Supernatural I don't own it. I'm just playing with it!

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Thirty Nine**

The three Winchester men were gathered in John's room at the motel they'd checked into the night before. John had spent a good portion of the evening organizing his notes on the demon to show his sons everything he'd discovered about the demon. "This is it. This is everything," he told them. "Look, our whole lives we've been hunting for this demon. Not a trace just… nothing. Until about a year ago I picked up a trail."

"That's when you took off," Dean said.

John nods and replied, "That's right. The demon must have come out of hiding or hibernation."

"All right, so what's this trail you found?" Dean asked.

"It starts in Arizona then New Jersey, California," he told them. "Houses burned down to the ground. It's going after families, just like it went after us."

"Families with infants?" Sam asked.

John could tell his youngest son was still blaming himself for what happened to his mother. John could remember the day he had begun to do that. He was only seven and it had never occurred to John that the child would feel guilt when he learned the true story of his mother's death. It had taken the child less then three minutes to connect the arrival of the demon and the death of his mother to himself. John looked at his youngest son and sighed. He'd told the boy so many times that it was not his fault but it really didn't matter. With Sam once he accepted responsibility for something he kept it and nothing would make him give it up. That's just the way his boy was. "Yeah," John told him. "The night of the kids six months birthday."

"I was six months old that night?" Sam asked glancing at his brother.

"Exactly six months," John replied.

"So basically, this demon is going after these kids for some reason," he said dejectedly. "The same way it came for me?"

John and Dean looked at Sam. They both knew him well. They knew what he's thinking.

"So, Mom's death, Jessica," Sam continued. "Its all cause of me?"

John realized Sam was looking for confirmation of his worst fears and that was something he would not give his son. He looked away unwilling to give him what he wanted.

"We don't know that Sam," Dean told his brother firmly.

"Oh really," Sam said getting angry. "Cause I'd say we're pretty damn sure."

"For the last time what happened to them is not your fault," Dean replied sternly.

John listened as Dean tried unsuccessfully to convince his brother. He didn't say anything because he new that Sam was right and he would not lie to his sons. Not even for this. He knew there was something about his youngest son that had attracted the attention of the demon. It wanted him for something and if John just figured out what that was then maybe they could stop it.

"Yeah," Sam shouted at Dean. "It's not my fault, but it's my problem!"

"No it's not your problem," Dean replied raising his voice at his brother. "It's our problem."

The argument between Dean and Sam began to get louder drawing John out of his reverie. He realized he needed to stop the discussion before they said things they could not take back. "Okay," John interrupted sternly. He stood and looked from one son to the other. "That's enough."

They may be grown men but they were still his son's and they still reacted immediately to his warning. Both looked at him and he glared at them silently until they looked away and calmed down. One thing they did not need, especially now, was to be at each other's throats.

"So why's it doing it?" Sam asked into the silence that filled the room since John's demand. "What does it want?"

It figured that Sam would ask the one of the questions he didn't have the answer too. He sighed. "Look," he replied. "I wish I had more answers. I do." John looked away from his sons at the thought of the lives that had been lost because he had been to slow to save them. "I've always been one step behind it. Look I've never gotten there in time to save…" He choked on his words. He didn't realize admitting his part in the deaths of those he couldn't save would be so hard.

"Alright," Dean asked. "So how do we find it before it hits again?"

"There are signs," John told him. "Look it took me a while to see the pattern but in the days before these fires, signs crop up in an area. Cattle deaths, temperature fluctuations, electrical storms. And I went back and checked and…"

Dean caught on to what John was getting at before his brother this time. He interrupted what John was going to say. "These things happened in Lawrence?" Dean asked.

John nodded, "A week before your mother died." He turned to Sam and sadly he said, "And in Palo Alto before Jessica. And these signs… they're starting again."

"Where?" Sam asked menacingly.

John could see the anger, the hatred for the demon in his young son's eyes. "Salvation Iowa," John he told him.

"When do we leave?" Sam asked.

"As soon as we get packed," John told him.

Less then an hour later they were on the road headed for Salvation. John checked his watch when they were less then five minutes outside of Salvation. They had made the eleven out trip in eight and a half hours. John's phone rang and he expected one of his son's to be on the other end of the line so he was surprised to hear Caleb's voice when he answered.

"John," Caleb said quietly. "I ah… I'm sorry to be the one to have to tell you this…"

"Caleb, what's wrong?" John asked knowing from the tone of his friends voice that something was terrible had happened.

"It's…" Caleb tried again to tell John what was wrong but he couldn't.

A pit was forming in John's stomach as he waited for his friend to tell him what had happened.

"John," he finally said. "Jim Murphy is dead."

John felt like he'd been suddenly kicked by mule. The pit in his stomach turned into a gapping whole as realization of what he had been told set in. Tears formed in his eyes and flowed over unchecked.

"John," Caleb said. "You still there buddy?"

John swallowed the knot that had suddenly formed in his throat and replied, "Yeah, what happened?"

"You're not going to like it," Caleb replied.

John sighed. "Tell me."

"Someone slit his throat," Caleb said. "But that's only part of it."

"What?"

"He was in his study in the church. He'd barricaded the door but it broke right through it. It's hallowed ground John so we don't know how it got him."

"What was it?" John asked already suspecting the answer.

"It was a demon John," his friend told him. "We found traces of sulfur on the door."

"What are you not telling me, Caleb?" John asked his friend knowing the man left something out.

"Bobby and I think whoever… whatever killed him did it as a message to someone," Caleb replied. "There were no other marks on his body John and we all know if a demon had made the effort to attack him it would have made sure he suffered before it killed him."

And John knew… hell they all knew who the message was meant for. The demon knew he was getting close. It knew he was going to kill it. "Caleb," John said. "I have the gun. That's what this is about. It's my fault… I'm sorry."

"No!" Caleb told him firmly. "It's not your fault. Jim must have gotten sloppy, John or the demon would never have been able to get him."

John knew his friend didn't think that, not really. He just didn't want John to feel guilty. Too late. "Caleb, you and Bobby call the others," John said. "Tell everyone to be careful. Tell them what happened."

"Bobby's already on it," Caleb told him. "John, listen. No matter what happens you can't give the demon the gun. You can't stop this hunt it's gone to far. You need to finish it."

"I will… I will kill this evil son of bitch," said fiercely.

"Be careful John," his friend told him before hanging up.

John flipped his phone closed and threw it forcefully down onto the seat next to him. He pulled the truck over to the side of the road. Dean followed in the Impala. John stormed out of the truck and headed towards the Impala as Dean got out. "Damn it!" he said in anger and anguish at the loss of his friend.

"What is it? Dean asked in concern. He could tell something was bad wrong.

"Son of bitch!" John shouted slapping the side of the truck. He tried get his anger under control enough to tell his sons about the death of the man who had been their friend for more then twenty years.

"What is it?" Dean asked again approaching his father.

"I just got a call from Caleb," John replied sorrowfully.

"Is he okay?"

"He's fine," John replied. He glanced at Sam before continuing. There was no way to soften the blow so he didn't try. "Jim Murphy's dead," he told his sons.

"Pastor Jim?" Sam asked in shocked surprise.

John nodded miserably.

"How?" Sam asked.

"Throat was slashed. He bled out," John replied starkly.

Sam and Dean glanced at each other and John could see the hidden pain in both their eyes. He felt it beating off them and that made the rest of what he had to say that much harder. He knew they would understand. Another of their loved ones had died because of his fight with this demon.

"Caleb said they found traces of sulfur at Jims place," John told them.

"A demon," Dean nodded knowingly. Then his eyes widened and John knew had made the connection. "The demon?" he asked.

"I don't know," John said shaking his head and gave his son the excuse Caleb had so tactfully given him. "Could be he just got careless… he slipped up." John didn't believe it himself though so he really couldn't let his sons think something so bad about their friend. "Maybe the demon knows where getting close."

"What do you want to do?" Dean asked understanding the situation immediately.

John steeled himself. "Now we act like every second counts. There's two hospitals and a health center in this county. We split up we cover more ground," John told his sons. "I want records. I want a list of every infant that's going to be six months old in the next week."

"Dad that could be dozens of kids," Sam said. "How the hell are we going to know which ones the right one?"

"We'll check them all that's how," he said. He knew how his son felt. He'd felt the same way each time he'd begun this same search. He saw the look on Sammy's face and asked, "You got any better ideas?"

"No sir," Sam replied.

Dean headed back to his car and John turned to get back in the truck. He hoped he could do this. He hoped he could finish what he had started. He stopped as he was once again overcome by despair and sorrow. He hung his head as he thought about the loss of Jim Murphy.

"Dad?" Dean said seeing his father in such misery.

John looked up. "Yeah," turning back to his sons and this time he couldn't keep the grief out of his voice. "It's Jim. I can't…" He didn't finish the sentence instead he said. Once again he steeled himself for the fight to come. "This ends… now. I'm ending it. I don't care what it takes." Then he turned and stormed back to the truck got in and drove off.

**A/N Thanks again for taking the time to read! Hope you enjoyed it. Please take the time to review and let me know what you think.**


	41. Cold Fury

_Disclaimer: Darn the bad luck! I don't own Supernatural nor any of its characters. It's too bad really because I would like to own one or two… okay I'd take all three of those guys in a heartbeat! (and in case you haven't guessed it… I really dig Daddy Winchester!) _

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter One:**

John pulled up to Salvation Hospital and dug through console of fake ID's until John found the one he was looking for. It proclaimed him to be medical researcher from a state agency. He went to medical records and began his search under the guise of researching a health issue. He'd been at it for nearly four hours when he received a phone call from Dean.

"Dad," Dean said. "We need to talk."

"What is it Dean?" John asked.

"Sam found them," Dean said. "Can you meet us at the motel?"

That was the last thing John had expected to hear. "Found them how?" he asked.

"Dad," Dean said. "Just trust me will you. Meet us at the motel I'll explain everything."

"You're sure Dean?" he asked. "We don't have time to mess around."

"Less than you think dad," Dean replied. "The baby is six months old today."

"I'll be right there," John told his son. He packed up his notes and headed to the motel.

When he arrived at the motel Dean opened the door and let him in. Sam was sitting at the table that occupied the small kitchenette. He was rubbing his temples his head hung low.

"Sam," John asked. "Your brother said you found the family."

"I did," he replied as Dean fixed himself a cup of coffee.

"How?" John asked.

"I met this woman and her infant daughter, Rosie," Sam said as he continued to rub his temples.

"Sammy," John asked noticing his son's distress. "What's wrong?"

"Headache," Sam replied. "I always get them afterwards."

"After what?" John asked confused. He looked from Sam to Dean but it was Sam who answered.

"A vision," he said quietly.

"A what?" John asked not sure he'd heard his son correctly.

"A vision, precognition," Sam told him getting irritated. "Psychic episode, whatever you want to call it."

John sat abruptly on the bed. "A vision?" John asked again shocked.

"Yes," Sam snapped angrily at his father's obvious disbelief. "I saw the demon burning a woman on the ceiling."

"And you think it's going to happen to this woman you met because…" John left the sentence unfinished. He was still trying to get his head wrapped around the fact that his son had a vision.

"Because," Sam replied with painful irritation. "These things happen exactly the way I see them."

Visions John thought to himself. He'd had them before this? And then he recalled Missouri's cryptic comment the day Mary's spirit had saved the boy. She had told him _'He has gifts that are going to be so much stronger then mine'_ John had completely forgotten about the conversation. Even back then he had though she meant something along the lines of a sixth sense, feeling like she got… not this. This possibility had never entered his mind.

"They started out as nightmares," Dean explained standing up. "Then he they started happening while he was awake." He went to coffee pot and refilled his cup.

"Yeah," Sam said painfully. "I like, I don't know, the closer I get to anything involving the demon the stronger the visions get."

It hit him suddenly that this was it. This was the answer he'd been looking for. This was why the demon was after Sam. Why the hell had his sons not told him this sooner? This was information that he'd needed. John looked at Dean and said, "All right. When were you going to tell me about this?"

"We didn't know what it meant," Dean replied surprised at the question.

"Something like this starts happening to your brother… you pick up the phone and you call me." John demanded.

Dean put his cup down firmly on the counter and turned to his father, "Call you?" he said striding to his father waving his arms in anger. "Are you kidding me?"

John looked at the expression on his son's face and realized he'd made a mistake… again.

"Dad I called you from Lawrence," Dean explained angrily. "Alright, Sam called you when I was dying." Dean was practically shouting at him now. "I mean getting you on the phone I got a better chance of winning the lottery."

The room was silent after Dean's outburst and John looked at his oldest Son in surprise and truth be told a bit of pleasure. Somehow during the year they'd spent apart his son had grown stronger, more confident in himself. Not that he wasn't in the past but he had never been that way with him, with John Dean had always backed down. John was beginning to realize those days were over. Dean would not just sit back and let him run the show anymore.

He was wrong to berate Dean and he knew it. It was not his son's fault. It was his fault he should have paid more attention to what Missouri had told him, he should have found a way to safely contact his son's more often. "You're right." He told Dean. Then gently told his son that he could said so without the attitude, "Although I'm too crazy about this new tone of yours… you're right. I'm sorry."

"Look guys," Sam said playing peacemaker between his brother and father for the first time in his life. "Vision's or no vision's we know the demon is coming tonight. And this family is going to go through the same hell that we went through."

The thought of all the families he had lost, the ones he had not been able to save had run quickly through Johns mind. "No there not… noone is," John replied with fierce determination. "Ever again."

Sam's phone chose that moment to ring and distracted them all. "Hello?" he answered.

John and Dean listened to the one sided conversation.

"Who is this?" Sam asked and they could tell he was concentrating trying to figure out who he was talking to. They were both surprised when he replied, "Meg."

John and Dean glanced at each other. Dean checked outside to see if anyone or anything had found them. John stood and listened as Sam continued, "Last time I saw you… you fell out of a window."

He couldn't hear the reply, but the look of surprise on Sam's face combined with his next statement told John something very important. "Just your feelings?" Sam asked. "That was a seven story drop."

John knew what could survive a seven story fall out of a window and it wasn't good. John paled to think that his son's had been that close to one of the demons.

Sam looked at John and he knew the demon girl was asking about him. His son confirmed it with his next statement. "My dad," Sam said shaking his head. "I don't know where my dad is."

John held out his hand for the phone. Silently Sam handed it to him. "This is John," he said.

"Howdy John," she introduced herself. "I'm Meg. I'm a friend of your boys. I'm also the one who watched Jim Murphy choke on his own blood."

Cold fury ran through John at the Statement. Anguish and guilt also assailed him as his worst fear over his friend's death was realized. It was his fault the Jim was dead.

"Still there John boy," Meg asked teasingly.

"I'm here," he managed to say.

"Well that was yesterday," Meg told him. "Today I'm in Lincoln visiting another old friend of yours. He wants to say hi."

A chill of fear ran through him as he realized who she meant. A fear that was confirmed when he heard Caleb's voice on the phone, "John whatever they do don't give…"

"Caleb, Caleb…" John said into the phone but his friend didn't reply. He knew it was probably too late to save the man, but he had to try. "You listen to me," he told Meg sternly. "He's got nothing to do with anything. You let him go."

"We know you have the Colt, John," she replied.

John was silent weighing his options, but he didn't have any, not really. Caleb was hundreds of miles away. There was no way he would be able to get there in time to save the man. "I don't know what you're talking about," John told her.

"Oh, okay," she replied. "So listen to this."

Suddenly John heard choking, gagging noises coming from the phone and his worst fears were realized when Meg got back on the phone and said, "You hear that. That's the sound of your friend dying. Now let's try this again. We know you have the gun John. Word travels fast and as far as we're concerned you just declared war. And this is what war looks like. It has casualties."

A fury like none he had ever experience came over John. He bathed in it as he told the demon on the phone, "I'm going to kill you, you know that."

"Oh, John, please," she replied. "Mind your blood pressure. So this is the thing. We're going to keep doing what we're doing and your friends, anyone who's ever helped you gave you shelter. Anyone you ever loved. They'll all die unless you give us that gun."

John didn't reply instead he considered his options. He could not, would not turn the gun over to the demons. But after he killed the demon tonight he could meet with this one and use it on her. He would enjoy watching her death once the demon that was after his son was killed.

"I'm waiting Johnnie," Meg said into the silence. "Better answer before the buzzer."

"Okay," John said with quiet anger.

"I'm sorry?" Meg said. "I didn't quiet get that."

"I said okay," John told her again. "I'll bring the Colt."

"There's a warehouse in Lincoln at the corner of Wabash and Lake. You're going to meet me there."

"It's going to take me about a day's drive to get there," John told her trying to buy enough time to kill the demon.

"Meet me there at midnight at tonight."

"That's impossible," John explained. "I can't get there in time and I can't just carry a gun on a plane."

"Oh," Meg told him. "Then I guess your friends die don't they. If you do decide to make it, come alone."

**A/N Sorry but the late posting on this one, I would have had it done last night but I got tickets to the most awesome concert and had to go! Just imagine _Blue Oyster Cult, Stxy, _and_ Foreigner_ all in one concert. It just blew my mind! And now I have this other Plot bunny running around in my head… argh! No rest for the wicked! Anyway, hope you enjoyed it and I'll try and post the next chapter quicker. I'd like to have this done before Thursday's season premier. Please review and let me know how you liked it.**


	42. Capture

_Disclaimer: Darn the bad luck! I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. It's too bad really because I would like to own one or two… okay I'd take all three of those guys in a heartbeat! _

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter One:**

"So, you think Meg is a demon?" Sam asked his father. He had picked it up on that pretty quick.

"Either that or she's possessed by one," he replied. "It doesn't really matter."

"What do we do?" Dean asked.

John had been considering that since he'd hung up the phone with Meg. He knew they were not going to like his answer, but he had no choice this time. This time it wasn't just him. The demons were going after everyone he cared about now. Not just him and his son's. They wanted him, so they were going to get him. Rage washed through him at the thought of what these demons were willing to do. He had to stop them and he thought he had a pretty good idea how to do it too. Cut off the head of the serpent and the whole serpent withers away and dies. It was time to trust his son's like everyone has been telling him to do. "I'm going to Lincoln," he told them.

"What?" Dean said in complete surprise.

"It doesn't seem like I have a choice," John explained. "If I don't go, a lot of people die. Our friends die." He couldn't let that happen. Too many good people have already died in this fight.

"Dad, the demon is coming tonight for Monica and her family," Sam pleaded. "That gun is all we've got. You can't just hand it over."

John grinned at Sam. "Who said anything about handing it over?" he asked. Then he explained, "Look, besides us and a couple vampires, no one's really seen the gun. No one knows what it looks like."

"So, what," Dean asked, "You're just gonna pick up a ringer at a pawn shop?"

John thought about that for a second and replied, "Antique store." They'd be more likely to find a vintage colt at an antique shop then a pawn shop.

Dean wasn't buying the whole thing and John could tell an argument was coming. "You're gonna hand Meg a fake gun and hope she doesn't notice?"

"Look, as long as it's close," he replied. "She shouldn't be able to tell the difference."

"Yeah, but for how long?" Dean asked. "What happens when she figures it out?"

"I just…" John hesitated. He knew his son's were slowly catching the gist of what he was saying and this was going to be the clincher. He steeled himself for the battle he knew was coming. "I just need to buy a few hours, that's all."

Sam and Dean both looked at him with raised eyebrows, but it was Sam who figured it out first. "You mean for Dean and me," he said. "You want us to stay here….and kill this demon by ourselves?"

"No, Sam. I want to stop losing people we love. I want you to go to school. I want Dean to have a home," he said his voice shaking with emotion as he turns away from them. "I want Mary alive," he cries and looks back at Sam and Dean. "I just….I just want this to be over."

He expected more of an argument and was surprised when it didn't come. At first he thought maybe it was because they agreed with him that this was the only way. But later he realized that wasn't it.

"Dean," John said. "Think you can go find that ringer for me?"

Dean and Sam exchanged a look and a nod. Dean sighed and replied, "Yes sir." Dean grabbed the keys to the Impala and left without another word.

"Dad," Sam said. "If Meg is a demon how can you trust her?"

"I can't," John replied. "So I'm going to have to come up with a plan."

Sam pulled out his laptop and signed on to the internet. "Hang on and I'll call up a satellite photo of the warehouse. Maybe it will help."

"You can do that?" John asked incredulously.

"Yeah dad," Sam replied. "It's easy, let me show you how."

John sat with Sam and together they worked out a simple but hopefully effective plan using the water tower and steam system to cover his retreat should it be necessary. Sam was able to pull up not only a good satellite shot of the entire area, but building schematics that would make it easier for John to move around the warehouse. Thanks to his young son and the wonders of the internet John was now pretty familiar with the building and the area. Sam had even printed out copies of each so he could review them again before meeting with Meg.

"Sam," John said. "I'm glad you got a chance at college."

"Yeah," Sam replied. "This is pretty useful stuff."

"Yes," John replied. "But that's not what I meant. I… I'm glad you got to do what you wanted to do… at least for a little while. I'm sorry you got dragged back into this. I know it's not what you wanted."

Sam smiled sadly at his father. "No, it wasn't… but now… I have to see this through," he told him. "This demon has to be destroyed and once it's done then maybe I can go back… finish school. Be a normal person again."

John smiled at his son and nodded. "I hope you can too."

Sam's phone rang and he looked at it hesitantly remembering the last call he'd received. "It's Dean," he told his father then answered. "Hey Dean you get it?" Sam nodded his head at his father indicating his oldest son had succeeded in his task.

John looked at his watch and told Sam, "Tell him to meet us out on the road next to the elevated railroad tracks. It'll save time and I'm going to need as much as possible to set this plan in motion once I get there."

Sam relayed the message to his brother and hung up the phone. Sam picked up his fathers bag and they headed out to the truck and drove to where they were going to meet Dean. They arrived before he did so John took the opportunity to get a few things from the weapons trunk. He was just closing it up when Dean drove up in the impala.

"Did you get it?" John asked.

Dean pulled out a paper bag and handed it to his father. "You know this is a trap, don't you?" he asked. "That's why Meg wants you to come alone."

"I can handle her," John told Dean. "I got a whole arsenal loaded, holy water, Mandaic amulets…" He didn't tell his son how many times he'd been attacked by them and how many times he had escaped.

"Dad…." Dean interrupted his father.

"What?" John asked.

"Promise me something," he said seriously.

"What's that?" he asked.

"If this thing goes south, just get the hell out," he said. "Don't get yourself killed, all right? You're no good to us dead."

John nodded at his son unable to reply to the heartfelt statement. Dean usually kept his emotions in check, but the nearly spilled over when he looked at his father. "Same goes for you," he told him. They were silent for a few seconds before John said, "All right, listen to me," He took the real Colt out of his coat pocket and held it. He was still surprised at what he was doing. He never would have imagined it would come to him quitting the big fight before it was done and turning it over to his sons. "They made the bullets special for this Colt. There's only four of 'em left. Without 'em, this gun is useless. You make every shot count."

"Yes, sir," they both replied.

"I've been waiting a long time for this fight. Now it's here, and I'm not gonna be in it. It's up to you boys now," John told them. "It's your fight. You finish this. You finish what I started. You understand?" They nodded and John handed the Colt to Dean.

"We'll see you soon, Dad," Sam said confidently.

John nodded. "I'll see you later," John told his boys firmly before he got in his truck and drove away.

He made it to the warehouse nearly an hour early parking his truck far enough away to remain hidden. Stealth was definitely necessary. He did not want to tip his hand too early and give the game away. He got out of his truck, made sure he had everything he needed, and continued on. He spotted the water tower on the roof of the warehouse just like in the aerial photograph his son had downloaded.

Quickly and quietly he entered the warehouse and scouted out his exit route. He found the water and steam pipes in the boiler room and made sure there was a way to turn on then made his way up to the water tower.

Once he was on the roof and reached the water tower he spotted Meg searching the ground looking for him. John hid quickly behind the water tower and waited until she continued moved away. He climbs the ladder leading to the top of the water tower and opened the trap door on top. Removing a set of rosary beads from one of his many pockets he said the blessing that would turn the entire tank into holy water then just for good measure tossed the blessed beads into the water.

He looked at his watch. It was time to get this done, time to meet with the demon. Stealthily he searched for her then followed her until she was in the room he wanted the meeting to go down in. The one he had planned his escape from when she was several yards from him he made sure his footsteps were loud enough to be heard and she turned around seeing him for the first time."

"John, you made it," She said. "Too bad, really. I was hoping to kill more of your friends."

"Sorry to disappoint," he told her.

"I can see where your boys get their good looks. But I must admit, considering what they say about you, I thought you'd be….taller." She was silent for a few seconds waiting for John to reply but he didn't. He just stared at her intently. "Well, aren't you the chatty one? You wanna get to business? Fine," she said stepping closer. "Why don't you hand over the gun?"

"If I give you the gun," John asked buying as much time as he could for his son's. "How do I get out of here?"

"Well, if you're as good as they say you are, I'm sure you'll figure something out," she replied.

John grinned. "Maybe I'll just shoot you," he told her.

"You wanna shoot me, baby? Go ahead. It won't end anything," she told him. "There's more where I came from." As if to prove it a second person entered the room. He was taller then John but had the same build. He didn't say anything but John knew he was the more dangerous of the two. There was something almost primal about him

"Who the hell's that?" John asked Meg.

"He's not nearly as much fun as I am, I can tell you that. So, I suggest you give us the gun," she said then, when John didn't move she raised her voice and yelled, "Now!"

John took the fake gun out of his pocket and handed it to her. He watched as she examines it.

"This is the Colt?" she asked and when he nodded she handed it to the man who had just walked in. "What do you think?" she asked him.

He took the gun from her and examined it closely. Then lifted it and pointed it at John. John's eyes widened and he prepared to make his move when he suddenly changed his aim and pointed the gun at Meg and pulled the trigger.

Meg stumbled backwards, bleeding but otherwise unaffected by the shot. "You shot me!" she yelled at the other demon. "I can't believe you just shot me!"

"It's a fake," he told her and threw the gun to the side.

Both demons now looked at John fiercely. "You're dead, John," Meg said in anger. "Your boys are dead."

"I never used the gun," John lied. "How could I know it wouldn't work?"

"I'm so not in the mood for this," she replied. "I've just been shot!"

John smirked at her and replied, "Well, then, I guess you're lucky the gun wasn't real."

"That's funny, John. We're gonna strip the skin from your bones, but that was funny."

A sudden noise from somewhere behind the two demons distracted them long enough for John to make his move. He ran into the next room and locked the door. It wouldn't hold stop them for long, but it would slow them down long enough for him to get the head start he needed. He lifted the trapdoor leading into the boiler room and climbed down just as he heard the door he locked busted open.

Running down the narrow hallway in the boiler room he stopped when he reached the faucet and turned it on. Spraying its contents across the hallway and allowing no room for the demons to follow without contacting the spray. The demons stop just before reaching the water unsure what John is doing. It didn't take long for the male demon to decide to find out. He stepped into the water approaching John and his shoes began to sizzle and burn causing him to jumps back in pain.

"Holy water, John. Real cute," Meg said.

John grinned at her and continued down the hallway to the exit that would take him out closest to the truck. However, when he arrived at his truck he found that someone else had already been there. All of his tires have been slashed. "Damn it," he said looking around and getting his bearings. Recalling the back up escape plan he and his son had come up with John ran in the direction they had determined would be his best option.

He ran around several blind corners and realized he had taken a wrong turn somewhere. Taking one more turn he suddenly realized he had run into a dead end. He pulled out his cell phone and was dialing his son's number when suddenly he was picked up and thrown hard against the brick wall of the nearby building. His phone flew from his grasp and landed several feet away.

John could not move. He could only stare at the male demon as he came out of the alley and without touching him it raised him painfully from the ground and held him spread eagle on the wall. John screamed out his frustration at being unable to move.

His screams of anger soon turned to screams of pain as the demon seized his chest with the same force that held him aloft and began squeezing. The pain was intense but not nearly as bad as the though of not seeing his sons again. He screamed again as the demon increased the pressure. John struggled fruitlessly to get away as the pain increased. John closed his eyes in an effort to control the pain and suddenly the pain was gone. He opened his eyes and saw that a third person had joined the two demons that had him.

John remained silent as he watched the two bow their heads slightly to the new arrival and when the new demon looked at John he saw the creatures yellow eyes and knew this was the demon he had been chasing. He was not a person possessed by a demon like the other two. This one was here in the flesh very few demons could accomplish a feat like that. John was slowly lowered to the ground though he remained pinned against the wall. His breaths were coming in ragged gasps as he tried to break free of whatever held him.

"I have been searching for you for a long time John Winchester," the new demon told him. "You have caused me to loose some of those that I claimed and tonight your son's have done the same. But don't worry they will pay for what they have done, just as you are going to pay.

John let out a sigh of relief. His sons were alive.

The demon walked up to John its yellow eyes inches from his. "It's time for you to pay for what you have done," it said and took a step back. It reached up and placed two fingers on John's forehead.

White hot pain shot through John's head burning its way into his soul. His scream of pain was drowned out by the laughter of the demon as it continued to torment him. John had no idea how long it lasted but when the demon pulled its hand away he sagged onto his hidden restraints drained of even his last reserve of strength.

The creature leaned over, placed its head next to John's ear and whispered, "You are mine now."

He lifted his head wearily and looked at the demon with pain filled eyes. "Never," he told it.

The demon laughed at his defiance and placed its palm on John's forehead and this time he didn't even have time to scream before darkness took him and he knew no more.

**A/N I hope you are enjoying it. I know this was a long chapter and I apologize. I'm trying to get this done before Thursday so bear with me. Just a few more chapters to go! Thanks again for taking the time to read and please review.**


	43. Possession

_Disclaimer: Darn the bad luck! I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. It's too bad really because I would like to own one or two… okay I'd take all three of those guys in a heartbeat! _

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Forty three**

Consciousness returned suddenly with a burst of pain. He heard someone screaming and it took him a few minutes to realize that it was him. He had no idea where he was but he was tied to a chair legs, arms, chest and head all strapped down making movement near impossible. The demons hand was again on his forehead the burning in his mind a continuous stream of agony. Scream after scream was ripped from him as he burned alive without ever being touched by flames.

Relief was sudden as the demon removed its hand from his forehead. "This is fun John, but I'm getting bored. You will let me in… one way or another I will have you."

He had no idea what it was talking about, but John couldn't summon the strength to reply. Instead he sat still his breathes coming in ragged gasps and stared defiantly at the demon that had killed his wife.

The demon moved away and the one who was at the warehouse with Meg stepped up. It pulled loose the strap holding John's head still. John stretched looked around the room and realized they were back in the warehouse. The two demons were the only occupants besides him.

Suddenly without warning his head was snapped to the side as a powerful blow was landed on the side of his face. It was followed by three or four more in quick succession. John grunted with pain as each blow landed harder then the next. Blood dripped down his face and he could taste it in his mouth. The demon worked in silence never uttering a sound as it systematically and carefully beat the live hell out of John.

The demon paused and John raised his head to look at it. Through the haze of pain and torment John knew he was in deeper trouble then he had ever been before. He knew that if he was lucky, very lucky he would be able to piss the creature off enough so that it killed him. Blood and saliva filled his mouth and using the last of his energy John spit the fluid directly in the demons face. He grinned when he felt the next blow land harder then the ones before it. He tried to watch for the next blow so he could lean into it but his eyes were swollen nearly shut. The blows stopped as suddenly as they had begun.

Someone grabbed John's hair and lifted his head as the strap holding his head was tied again. Through the slit of his left eye John saw the yellow eyed demon return. Then the white hot fire burned inside his head and his torment began again until he finally fell into darkness.

He had no idea of the passage of time it could have been minutes, days or weeks. It seemed like a lifetime. The beatings continued and then the burning pain until he felt no more. The he would wake and the process would begin again. It filled every waking minute and it became his life so when it stopped suddenly he was confused.

Vaguely he heard someone talking and he had to concentrate on the sound to understand what was being said. "He has strong blocks. Breaking him this way would be so much more gratifying unfortunately we no longer have the luxury of time. Drug him and get him to Sunset."

John struggled feebly when he felt the needle inserted into his arm but his struggles slowed and finally stopped as he floated down into a sea of darkness filled with nightmares of pain and fire.

He drifted on a sea of pain several times groaning his way back to near consciousness only to feel the stab of another needle in his arm. He woke again this time to nearly full consciousness. He must have been here for a few days because the swelling in his face had gone down he was able to open his eyes. It took a few minutes to realize he was staring at a stark white ceiling. He lay on his back tied spread eagle to a bed and he had no idea where he was.

Out of nowhere the yellow eyed demon appeared and stared down at him. "It's time," it told him and he felt the invisible barrier holding him still again. He couldn't move he couldn't even close his eyes. He watched as the demon lifted a syringe from the bedside table squirted just enough out of the needle to remove the any air bubbles. Then with exaggerated slowness the creature injected the drug into John's arm.

John didn't pass out this time instead he floated on a wave of pleasure as the drug took affect. He was released from his invisible bonds though still tied to the bed. His eyes rolled and he grinned but he didn't know why and that made him laugh.

Black smoke danced suddenly above him and he watched as it swirled and swayed. He tried lifting his hand to catch the smoke but he couldn't so he just watched it move back and forth hypnotically. Then suddenly without warning in came together and streamed towards his face.

Pain filled him and he arched his back and screamed. His mind clouded darkly and all that was John Winchester was forced back away from the darkness. Flames danced around him walling him in threatening to burn him again. He did the only thing he could think of he slammed his wall of protection around him. It circled him protecting him from the fire and darkness that had entered his mind.

His scream stopped and he lay quietly on the bed though he tried to struggle. Then he realized what the demon had done and he screamed again but this time no one heard him. No one but the demon that now shared his battered and bruised body.

And it laughed as John Winchester realized he was no longer in control.

**A/N I know none of this was in the episode, but I hope you enjoyed the way I explained it. Thanks again for reading and please review. **


	44. Escape

_Disclaimer: Darn the bad luck! I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. It's too bad really because I would like to own one or two… okay I'd take all three of those guys in a heartbeat! _

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Forty Four**

John was stunned. He struggled to move his body, to scream with his voice but he couldn't. The demon was in complete control. He was locked in the circle of bricks he had built to protect himself. It was strange. He could see and hear. He could even feel the bonds that still held his body to the bed. But he could not control any of it. He was trapped inside his own body. He had to get the demon out.

"_I'm not going anywhere_," the demon said to him without speaking.

"_You can hear my thoughts_?"

"_Of course I can_," it told him. "_I am part of you now I reside in you, in your mind_."

"_What do you want?" _John asked.

"_I want many things_," the demon replied. "_But for what concerns you I want what I have always wanted, what I will soon have thanks to you. I want your son. Sam will be mine_."

"_No!_" John said sharply "_I won't let you have him_."

"_You can no longer stop me_," it replied. "_From you, from your body I will take what I want. Your son's are already on their way to rescue you. You will watch as one son dies. Then when Sam is mine I will allow him the privilege of killing you_."

"_I am going to kill you_!" John shouted at the demon.

"_That will be a interesting trick_," the demon laughed at John. "_How do you intend to accomplish that task when you can't even lift your own eyelid_?"

John reached outside of the wall he'd created in his mind and tried to push the demon away. The burning pain washed over him nearly sending him back to the area of safety he had created. The thought of his son's kept him from seeking that refuge. Instead he pushed harder. Suddenly thoughts and memories forced their way painfully into his consciousness. Memories that were not his. Memories of death and destruction, of fire and ruin. John was so shocked that once second he was pushing against the demon, fighting and the next he was safely back behind his solid brick wall.

"_Oh my God_," he said to himself.

"_Your God can not stop me_," the demon laughed. "_He has tried so many times with others before you none have succeeded_."

John understood. That brief flood of memories that came from the demon had taught him what he needed to know to kill the demon, the only way to kill it. The gun was the key and his son's still had the gun. There was still hope. He could still save them.

Suddenly without warning a fire alarm began to ring. A door opened and closed again and John knew something was happening. He also knew there was little he could do about it at the moment.

Before long sounds of a struggle began somewhere outside the room where John was being held captive.

"_What is going on_?" John thought.

"_Our rescue is imminent,"_ the demon told him. "_Your boys have come to save you_."

"_Oh God, no!"_ John said.

"_Why do you insist on calling on him when he so obviously does not answer, does not even care_?" the demon asked.

It took John a few seconds to realize who the demon meant. "_I don't care what he thinks of me as long as he cares for my boys_."

John heard the door to the room opened again then he heard Dean calling to him.

"_Ah, now the fun begins_," the demon thought to John with a laugh.

"Dad?" his son called and he could feel his son's head resting on his chest and John knew Dean was trying to see if he was alive. "He's still breathing," Dean said out loud leading John to believe that Sam was also in the room. He could not see because as the demon pointed out earlier he could not even lift his eyelids.

Dean shook him. "Dad, wake up. Dad!"

John heard the sound of a knife being opened then he heard Sam. "Wait," he told Dean. "Wait."

"What?" Dean asked.

"He could be possessed for all we know," Sam told his brother.

"_Way to go Sammy_!" John though.

"What are you, nuts?" Dean asked.

"_No Dean_," John thought. "_He's right… don't try to talk him out of it_."

"Dean," Sam replied. "We've got to be sure."

"_He senses me_," the demon told John. "_He just doesn't realize it. He still does not know how to use the abilities he was given_. _However, I can not take the chance just yet_." Then the demon spoke to someone else. It allowed John to hear what it said but he had not idea who it was speaking to or how. "_The young one can sense me. You must give it something else to think about. Remember do not kill it. I want that one alive_."

"_What are you going to do_?" John asked.

"_I will do nothing_," it replied. "_But Sam must be dealt with_."

"_You leave him alone_!" John shouted silently at the demon. Laughter was his only reply.

The room is silent then John felt the water splashing onto his face and chest and he is shocked to realize there is no reaction. The water should be burning him.

"_Why would you think something as petty as holy water would work on me_?" the demon told John. "_I have news for you John Winchester. I am not so easily defeated_. _Now I think it is time for a little fun_."

"_NO!"_ John shouted. "_Don't hurt them_!"

"_Oh John_," it replied. "Don't _worry about that yet. At least not until I have the gun_."

Then the demon turned his attentions outside and with complete control of John's body it opened his eyes and looked at Sam. "Sam?" it said. "Why are you splashin' water on me?"

John watched as Sam's face lit up with a relieved smile. "_No Sammy_," he shouted. "_It's not me_!'

"Dad," Dean asked as he began to cut away the bonds that held him to the bed. "You okay?"

"They've been druggin' me," the demon in him replied then asked. "Where's the Colt?"

"_Do you think they're that stupid_?" John asked. "_They wouldn't bring the gun with them_."

It was Sam who replied, "Don't worry, Dad. It's safe."

"Good, boys. Good, boys," the demon replied.

"Come on Dad," Dean said helping John up. "We need to get you out of here." Sam took one side, Dean took the other and with their dad's arms hanging over their shoulders they headed for the bedroom door. Before they could make it two possessed men come bursting through the apartment's door.

"Back," Dean shouted, "Back!" and they rushed back into the bedroom and locked the door behind them when suddenly an axe came through the door. Sam released John and began salting the door.

Dean managed to get his father through the window and he called to Sam who was nearly finished with the salt at the door. "Sam! Let's go!" he yelled.

Sam followed them and covered the windowsill in salt before he climbed down the fire escape. When all three Winchesters got down to the sidewalk, they began walking towards the Car. Sam led the way with Dean following helping John who had his arm draped over his fathers shoulder. And John knew the demon was intentionally holding Dean back, slowing him down.

Suddenly, out of nowhere the other demon from the warehouse barreled into Sam knocking him heavily to the ground and landing on top of him. With Sam pinned down the demon began to punched him in the face mercilessly.

"_No!" _John shouted silently seeing the beating he had been given delivered to his son and knowing there was not way he could stop it.

The demon in him laughed at the anguish that filled John. He laughed at the beating the other demon was administering.

Dean set his father down quickly, but gently and rushed over to the demon that was attacking Sam. He viciously kicked it in the face but it didn't even faze the creature. It looked at Dean and with a simple shake of its head it sent him sailing into the windshield of a nearby parked car.

"_Stop_!" John shouted at the demon.

"_It is necessary,"_ the demon told him coldly. "_But don't worry my son won't kill him_."

"_Your son?"_ John asked shocked.

"_You humans always amaze me with your ignorance,"_ it told him. "_I have a daughter also, though your boys were able to send back to our realm by using an exorcism_."

"_They should have killed her_," John told it.

"_She was weak_," it said. "_But her sacrifice was not in vain. It brought your children to me_."

The demon that had Sam pinned to the ground had resumed its beating and John was forced to watch as his son's head was snapped back and forth by the fierce blows the demon was delivering.

Suddenly a single gunshot rang out and as they watched the demon was knocked sideways off of Sam as black smoke swirled and thined around the mans head until it disappeard.

"_NO_!" the demon shouted silently in John's mind as it watched Dean destroy its son.

"_Go, Dean!"_ John shouted as he saw Dean standing with the Colt in his hand.

John could feel the demon's anger. It seethed with it and his body trembled in response. "_He will pay for that_," the demon told John. "_He will suffer like I have made no one suffer in centuries_."

Dean put the gun away and ran to his brother. "Sam….Sam," he said relief plain on his face when he heard his little brothers' quiet moan. "Come on Come on we've got to get out of here," he said as he lifted his brother to his feet. Then he looked at the body of the man he had been forced to kill. He shook his head sadly before helping his brother over to their father.

Sirens sounded in the distance as they stumbled away from the Sunset apartments.

**A/N No time for long notes here… I'm off to the final chapter. Please read and review… Thanks!**


	45. Kill me now

_Disclaimer: Darn the bad luck! I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. It's too bad really because I would like to own one or two… okay I'd take all three of those guys in a heartbeat! _

**Hunted**

_John Winchester is hunted by more then just demons._

**Chapter Forty Five**

As they drove through the night the demon delighted in telling John exactly what it planned on doing to Dean. The torture it planned for him both mentally and physically. It was going to make John watch as it used his body to slowly destroy his son.

After a while John discovered that while he couldn't stop from hearing the demon he could tune it out. He considered his options barely daring to think of what he had learned from the memories of the demon. What he had to do was find a way to make his boys understand what needed to be done. They would have the hardest part of the job and he was not sure he'd be able to convince them to do it. He had to try though because it was the only way to defeat the demon.

"_You can not defeat me_," the demon told him.

"_Watch me,"_ John told it firmly then closed his mind to the demon.

Dean drove them to a small rundown cabin in the woods somewhere. His boys carried him and the demon within him into the cabin. The demon pretended drowsiness as the boys laid him down on the dusty bed in the bedroom of the cabin.

Sam had recovered from the beating he had taken but his right eye was bruised and swollen nearly shut. It didn't stop him from helping with what needed to be done. He pulled out the salt and salted the windows in the room before moving to the main cabin. Dean followed and John could hear their voices but he didn't know what they were saying.

The demon in John stood and walked to the door of the bedroom to listen to the conversation between the brothers.

"You know that guy I shot?" Dean said to Sam. "There was a person in there."

"You didn't have a choice, Dean," his brother replied.

"_I think it's time for some more fun_," the demon told John. "_I think your son shall soon get what is coming to him_."

"_You leave him alone!"_ John yelled at the demon.

"_No,"_ the demon replied. "_It's too late for that_."

"Yeah, I know," Dean told his brother. "That's not what bothers me."

"_Interesting_?" the demon said. "_Perhaps I chose the wrong son? This one would have been easy to turn. Too bad he does not have the abilities of your youngest son_."

"Then what does?" Sam asked.

"Killin' that guy, killin' Meg… I didn't hesitate. I didn't even flinch," he explained. "For you or Dad, the things I'm willin' to do or kill, it just…. it scares me sometimes."

"_That's my cue_," the demon told John then entered the room and said to Dean, "It shouldn't. You did good."

"You're not mad?" Dean asked his dad.

"_Oh you have no idea how angry I am boy,"_ he said silently but he was confused about why the boy would think his father would be angry with him so out loud he replied, "For what?"

"_He's not a boy!"_ John said angrily to the demon. "_He's a man_!"

"Usin' a bullet," Dean told his demon possessed father.

"_Dean_," John thought hearing his son's reply. "_You saved your brother's life. How can I be mad at you for that? I did the same thing?"_

"Mad? I'm proud of you. You know, Sam and I, we can get pretty obsessed," the demon said laying it on thick. "But you… you watch out for this family. You always have."

"_Come on Dean_," John thought. "_That's not me. You know me better than this_."

Dean looked at John a bit confused and taken aback by his fathers reply. "Thanks," he said.

"_Well,"_ the demon told John. "_He's not as stupid as I though he was. He is beginning to suspect something is wrong with you. I believe it may be time to end this nonsense_."

John felt the surge of power that ran through the demon as the lights in the room begin to flicker. They all move to the window to look out as a strong wind begins blowing outside.

"_What are you doing?"_ John asked.

"_I am going to have a little fun before I deliver my promise to you,"_ it told him. Then out loud to Sam and Dean it said, "It found us. It's here."

"The demon?" Sam asked worried.

The demon nodded, "Sam, lines of salt in front of every window, every door."

"Already did it," Sam replied.

"Well, check it, okay?" he told Sam. When he left the room the demon silently told John, "_Ah, alone at last. Now I will get the gun and your son will suffer_." The demon in him looked at Dean and said, "Dean, you got the gun?"

"Yeah," he replied.

"Give it to me," the demon demanded.

"_No!_" John shouted at his son. "_Don't do it Dean, it's not me! You know it's not me, think about it!"_

"Dad, Sam tried to shoot the demon in Salvation," Dean replied. "It vanished."

"This is me. I won't miss. Now the gun, hurry," the demon says to Dean.

Dean hesitated, holding onto the gun and John knew that things were beginning to fall into place for his son. Give Dean his due he may not pick up things as fast as Sam, but he did figure them out eventually.

"Son, please," The demon pleaded.

John laughed because he knew the demon had lost Deans trust. John would never have pleaded for the gun. He would have demanded it. He watched with a grin as Dean took a few steps back from him still holding the gun.

"Give me the gun!" the demon tried to change tactics but John knew it was already too late. "What are you doing, Dean?"

Dean looked at his father. "He'd be furious," he said quietly.

"What?" said the demon and John at the same time.

"That I wasted a bullet. He wouldn't be proud of me. He'd tear me a new one," Dean replied.

"_Dean_," John replied sadly. "_I'm sorry I made you think that_."

Dean suddenly raised the gun, pointed it at John and cocked it. "You're not my dad," he told the demon menacingly.

"_Do it Dean_!" John whispered, "_Please, you can end this all just pull the trigger it's the only way to kill this demon_."

"_You are a fool John Winchester if you think either of your children could ever kill you. For some unimaginable reason they both love you even after all you have done to them_," the demon told him then replied to Dean. "Dean, it's me," it said.

"I know my dad better than anyone," Dean said angrily. "And you ain't him."

"What the hell has gotten into you?" the demon asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," Dean replied as Sam entered the room.

"_Now that's annoying,"_ the demon said to John. "_I wanted this done before he came back but perhaps I can work this to my advantage._"

"Dean? What the hell is going on?" Sam asked.

"Your brother's lost his mind," The demon replied. "_And he is going to lose a lot more than that!_"

"He's not Dad," Dean told his brother.

"What?" Sam asked in confusion.

"I think he's possessed," Dean explained. "I think he's been possessed since we rescued him."

"_You tell him Dean_!" John said. "_Come on Sammy use those extra senses of yours. You know your brothers right."_

"Don't listen to him, Sammy," the demon said.

"Dean, how do you know?" Sam asked his brother.

He's… He's just different," Dean explained badly.

"You know, we don't have time for this Sam," the demon said. "You want to kill this demon you've got to trust me…" They watch as Sam looks back and forth at John and Dean. "Sam?" the demon asked.

"No," Sam said finally shaking his head and walking to stand beside Dean. "No."

The demon lowered his head in and pretended sadness. "Fine! You're both so sure? Go ahead. Kill me," the demon told them hanging his head in sadness. "_NO!"_ the demon shouted at him and suddenly John realized the demon was worried. It was afraid that Dean would actually kill them.

"_Yes!_" John shouted. "_Do it Dean. End this Now! _John knew the moment his son realized he couldn't do it. He saw the gun dip and he knew that Dean could not kill him.

The demon knew too and as soon as the gun moved away from him he raised his head and power flowed through him. "I thought so," it said as it released the power and slammed Sam and Dean against the walls of the room. Pinning them there the same way he had been pinned at the warehouse. The gun clattered to the floor and the demon walked over to the Colt and picked it up. "What a pain in the ass this thing's been," he tells them.

"_No!_" John shouted uselessly knowing his worst fears had just been realized. "_Let them go!_"

"It's you, isn't it?" Sam said hate dripping from his voice. "We've been looking for you for a long time."

The demon smiled at him. "You found me," it said.

"But the holy water…." Sam asked.

"You think something like that works on something like me?" it told Sam.

Sam struggled to lift his head away from the wall but the power of the demon is too strong. "I'm gonna kill you!"

The demon laughed. "Oh, that'd be a neat trick. In fact, here," he told Sam placing the gun on a nearby table. "Make the gun float to ya there, psychic boy."

"_Come on Sam_," John urged silently. "_You can do it!_"

The demon laughed as it watched Sam try unsuccessfully to move the gun. "Well, this is fun. I could've killed you a hundred times today, but this…." He said with a sigh. "This is worth the wait."

The demon turned to Dean. "Your dad, he's in here with me… trapped inside his own meat suit," it told him. "He says "hi", by the way. He's gonna tear you apart. He's gonna taste the iron in your blood."

"Let him go. Or I swear to God…"

The demon interrupted what Dean was going to say. "What? What are you and God gonna do? You see, as far as I'm concerned, this is justice." The demon got in Deans' face. "You know that little exorcism of yours?" it told him. "That was my daughter."

"Who, Meg?" Dean asked surprised.

"The one in the alley? That was my boy," John could feel the hatred coming from the demon in waves. "You understand?"

"You've got to be kidding me," Dean said in irritation.

"What? You're the only one who can have a family?" it asked. "You destroyed my children. How would you feel if I killed your family?"

"_You son of bitch_," John replied to the demon coldly. "_You destroyed Mary! You destroyed Jessica! Paybacks are bitch aren't they!_"

Dean said nothing to the demon but it smiled wickedly at him and said. "Oh, that's right. I forgot. I did." It grinned and stepped back then continued, "Still, two wrongs don't make a right."

"You son of a bitch," Dean said.

"I wanna know why," Sam said attracting the demons attention again. "Why'd you do it?"

"_Don't_," John pleaded. He knew what the answer would do to his son. He knew it how bad it would make his son feel. "_Don't tell him… please_."

"_He's going to find out sooner or later. I think I prefer sooner_," The demon told John. Then it spoke to Sam, "You mean, why'd I kill Mommy and pretty little Jess?"

"Yeah," Sam asked angrily.

The demon looked at John before replying. "You know, I never told you this, but Sam was gonna ask her to marry him. Been shoppin' for rings and everything," it told him. He walked back to Sam. "You wanna know why?" it repeated. "Because they got in the way."

"In the way of what?" Sam asked.

"My plans for you, Sammy," it told him. "You… and all the children like you."

"_No_," John said silently as he saw the pain in his young son's eyes. It shattered his heart to know how much pain that comment had caused his son.

Dean must have realized to the damage the demon was inflicting on his brother without even lifting a hand. "Listen," he said drawing the demons attention back to him. "You mind just getting this over with, huh? 'Cause I really can't stand the monologuing."

The demon returned to Dean. "Funny. But that's all part of your M.O., isn't it?" it said. "Mask all that nasty pain. Mask the truth."

John knew he had to find a way to stop this. He had to find a way to release his son's so they could use the gun.

"Oh, yeah? What's that?" Dean asked.

"You know, you fight and you fight for this family, but the truth is….they don't need you. Not like you need them," it told Dean. "Sam… he's clearly John's favorite. Even when they fight. It's more concern than he's ever shown you."

"_No!_" John said. "_You lying son of bitch. You know that's not true. I need both of them. I love both of them_."

"_Ah,"_ the demon said. "_But do they know that_?"

"I bet you're real proud of your kids, too, huh?" Dean replied with a smirk. "Oh, wait, I forgot. I wasted 'em."

"_Dean!_" John said in fear. "_No!_" He knew his son had gone too far with the demon. Fury radiated from the creature as it took a step back away from Dean and lowered its head.

John felt the gather power and when the demon lifted its head he felt as the demon struck at Dean's chest with the power he felt the power squeezing Dean's heart. And he watched in horror unable to stop it as blood began to seep heavily from Deans' chest.

Dean screamed in agony as the power of the demon tormented him.

"_Stop!"_ John pleaded. "_Please!_" He had to find a way to make it stop. He was out of time.

"Dean! No!" Sam yelled unable to help.

Dean's cries of pain and suffering continued as more blood poured out of his chest. He looked at his father and pleaded, "Dad! Dad, don't you let it kill me!"

John felt the demons power increase and Dean cried out again as blood began to pour from his mouth as well as his chest. "_You're killing him! Stop!"_

"_That's the plan_," the demon told him silently.

"Dean!" Sam said as he struggled both mentally and physically to break away from the demon. Through the demon John felt the power animating from his son. He felt it shove hard against that of the demon that held him to the wall.

"Dad, please," Dean begged before he finally lost unconscious and sagged against his invisible bonds.

"Dean!" Sam cried and struggled harder to free himself increasing the power he used unwittingly against the demon. "No!"

John did the only think he could think of doing. He reached though the brick wall he had used to surround himself he pulled the demon into the wall with him then he switched left the protective circle. "Stop!" he said tearfully and was surprised to hear his own voice. "Stop it."

He felt the power of the demon weaken as he held it within the wall of bricks. In his mind he reinforced the bricks with a ring of steel. He felt the demon pull back some of its power building its strength.

The force holding Sam to the wall was released as the demon battled with John. Sam rushed to the table and grabs the Colt. He pointed it at John.

With a sudden and ferocious burst of power the wall of bricks and steel that confined the demon was shattered and John was burning in a sea of fire. Through the torturous agony John whispered silently, "_Do it Sam, Please_."

The demon regained control of John. It looked at Sam who was kneeling on the ground but pointing the gun at John. "You kill me," it smirked at him. "You kill Daddy."

"I know," Sam said and then to the demons complete surprise he pulled the trigger. The bullet struck John in the thigh knocking him to the floor.

The mystical power of the shot drained the demon of its powers releasing both Dean and John. Dean collapsed to the floor and Sam rushed to his side.

John expected the shot to kill both the demon and himself but it didn't. It weakened the creature made it powerless. It tried to escape but John slammed the brick and steel wall around it. Holding it prisoner. He knew what needed to be done. He just needed to convince his son. He heard Sam talking quietly to his brother and was relieved to hear Dean's voice.

"Dad?" Sam said as he approached his father, "Dad?"

"Sammy!" John shouted at his son, "It's still alive. It's inside me. I can feel it." He prayed his son would listen. "You shoot me. You shoot me! You shoot me in the heart, son!" John's heart bled for his son, but he knew this was the only way. The demon could only be killed while it possessed someone.

He watched as Sam lifted the gun with tears in his eyes. John knew what he was asking his son to do but if he didn't do it the demon would come back. It would try again. Sam raised the gun and cocked it. "Do it, now!" John demanded.

John heard Dean tell his brother, "Sam, don't you do it. Don't you do it."

John could feel the demon fighting to get out of the cage he'd put it in. "You've got to hurry! I can't hold on to it much longer!" John cried. "You shoot me, son! Shoot me!" Demands were not working so John tried the only other thing he could. "Son, I'm beggin' you! We can end this here and now! Sammy!"

Dean lay on the floor and listened in horror to what his father was demanding, "Sam no," he cried.

John felt himself weakening as he fought the demon. "You do this! Sammy! Sam…" Suddenly he couldn't hold the demon any longer and he screamed out his fury as the demon erupted from him in a cloud of black smoke. It swirled above him angrily before disappearing through the floorboards of the room.

John looked at his young son tears of anger, sadness and regret falling freely from his face. He looked away unable to meet his son's eyes. He knew what he had asked of Sam. He knew how hard it would have been for him, but he also knew it would have ended the threat to his son's life forever.

Sam walked away from his father and went to his brothers' side. "Dean," he said. "Come on we need to get you to the hospital."

John struggled to his feet and silently helped Sam carry Dean to the car. They carefully put him in the back seat where he lay stretched out and leaning against the door. The trip to the car had been painful and exhausting for both Dean and John.

John sat in the passenger seat quietly as Sam drove as fast as he dared towards the hospital. They had been so close to destroying the demon. John sighed as he though of all they had gone through and he knew they would have to do it all again.

Sam mistook his sigh of frustration for a one of pain. "Just hold on, all right?" he told his father. "The hospital's only ten minutes away."

John shook his head at his son. "I'm surprised at you, Sammy. Why didn't you kill it?" he asked. "I thought we saw eye to eye on this. Killing this demon comes first. Before me, before everything."

"No sir. Not before everything," Sam replied.

And John didn't know if he should be glad his son didn't take the shot and kill him because it demonstrated his love for him or disappointed that he didn't take the shot and kill the demon. He just knew that now they were all still in danger. Maybe even more danger then before.

"Look, we still have the Colt," Sam told him. "We still have the one bullet left. We just have to start over, all right, I mean, we already found the demon…"

Bright lights engulfed the window and John turned in time to see the truck barreling down on the side of the impala. He didn't even have time to scream before the impact sent him spiraling into darkness.

**A/N Okay it's done! Finally! Unless of course I decide to add tomorrow's episode to the story. I will need to see it first and see if it will fit with the storyline. If it does then eventually I will add it.**

**Hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to read it, now feel free to review too!**

**Thanks bunches!**


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